DelCo woman charged with ‘straw purchase’ of firearms

A Delaware County woman faces charges accusing her of buying guns for her boyfriend, who cannot legally own firearms because of his previous commitment to a psychiatric hospital for an evaluation.

The woman’s arrest came months after the discovery of a weapon on a city street.

On July 8, Chester County Police found a 9mm Glock 26 handgun fitted with a fully-loaded 50-round drum magazine on the 1000 block of Thomas Street,Patch reported.

Investigators determined that the gun was registered to 23-year-oldErika Kulp. Aston police then contacted federal agents at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with information about the gun and a domestic disturbance between Kulp and her boyfriend in April.

Officers had seized the Glock and a Smith & Wesson Walther .380 handgun after responding to the domestic disturbance, but returned the guns to Kulp 10 days later.

The ATF interviewed Kulp in August and she admitted to not being truthful with the investigators,Philly.com reported. Kulp told the federal agents that she used false information and cash from her boyfriend to buy the guns because he was banned from purchasing them because of a prior psychiatric evaluation, authorities said.

Kulp was charged with the illegal purchase and transfer of firearms in addition to tampering with public records and criminal conspiracy—all third-degree felonies.

Under the Brad Fox law, named after a police officer who was in killed in Montgomery County, the mandatory minimum for such “straw purchases” is five years.

Kulp was released on bail. There was no indication she had obtained an attorney who could comment on the charges in her behalf.