PORTLAND — An Auburn man who faces three charges of buying guns for other people denied Thursday that he committed any crimes.
Anthony Jones, 34, was charged in federal court with three counts of false statements during acquisition of a firearm from a licensed firearm dealer, twice at an Auburn gun shop.
Each charge is a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Karen Frink Wolf appointed an attorney Thursday to represent Jones, whose income and assets qualified him.
In an indictment, handed up by a federal grand jury, Jones is accused of buying a Smith & Wesson M&P Shield .40-caliber pistol on May 20, 2020, from a gun dealer in Kittery.
Jones “knowingly made a false and fictitious written statement” during the purchase that was “intended and likely to deceive” the salesperson when he answered, “Yes,” to the question: “Are you the actual buyer of the firearm(s) listed on this form?”
The form specifically warns that “You are not the actual buyer if you are acquiring the firearm(s) on behalf of another person.”
The indictment goes on to say: “In fact, this statement was false because defendant intended to purchase the firearm for and/or on behalf of another person.”
Jones tried to buy a second gun — an FNH model 503 9mm pistol — on July 22, 2020, this time from an Auburn gun dealer, according to the indictment.
He answered, “Yes,” when asked if he was the “actual buyer.”
The indictment says, “In fact, this statement was false” because Jones intended to buy the gun for someone else.
Jones tried to buy a third gun March 30, 2021, this time a Smith & Wesson, model M&P 9, 9 mm pistol at the same Auburn gun shop as before, according to the indictment.
Again, according to court documents, Jones answered, “Yes” on the form during purchase indicating he was the actual buyer when he, in fact, he was buying the gun for someone else.
Jones was arrested Sept. 26 in Massachusetts and had been free pending his Thursday appearance in U.S. District Court.
He pleaded not guilty to the three charges Thursday.
Judge Wolf set his bail at $10,000 unsecured, meaning he may be ordered to pay that bond if he were to violate terms of his pretrial release.
Those terms include no possession of or use of narcotics, for which he can be tested at random, and no possession of firearms.
A December trial was scheduled.
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