Woman charged with buying guns for teen
Teen also faces charges
A Reading woman faces five felony counts after she was observed buying a handgun for a teenager at an Oley Township firearms dealer, later admitting to a detective that she made similar “straw” purchases for the same youth for a fee, investigators said Dec. 7.
Madeline Warrington, 42, of the 1100 block of Green Street and the 17-year-old male acquaintance were taken into custody by Central Berks Regional police on Friday outside Cro-Arms Guns & Ammo, 959 Memorial Highway.
Authorities said the purchases were made between Sept. 26 and Dec. 4.
Warrington was committed to Berks County Prison in lieu of $75,000 bail to await a hearing following arraignment Saturday morning before District Judge David L. Yoch in Reading Central Court.
She’s charged with five counts each of making a materially false written statement for the purchase, delivery and transfer of a firearm. Besides those felony counts, she faces misdemeanor counts of making a statement under penalty and corruption of a minor.
The 17-year-old defendant was sent to the juvenile detention facility at Abraxas Academy in New Morgan to await a detention hearing. He faces firearms and marijuana possession charges before Berks County juvenile authorities, investigators said.
According to Central
Berks police:
Investigators had Warrington on their radar after she reported two guns that she purchased had been stolen. They suspected the guns were actually transferred to someone else after she made a straw purchase.
Detective Joseph Taimanglo alerted local firearms dealers that she may try another straw purchase and asked for cooperation in the investigation.
On Friday, someone at Cro-Arms alerted Taimanglo that Warrington was doing a straw purchase for a young male.
Taimanglo went to the store to conduct surveillance inside.
He noticed Warrington had already selected a Springfield 9 mm handgun and filled out the required state police and federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives forms.
While waiting for the shop to complete the required background check to complete the purchase, the youth picked up a box of ammunition for a 38 Special handgun, then walked to the section where weapon-mounted lasers are displayed. He asked an employee what laser would mount on the gun he was buying.
The employee showed him and the teen said he would come back for it later.
He continued to shop, adding a 9 mm 31-round extended magazine for a Glock pistol as well as a 30-round magazine for an AK-47. The detective thought that was odd because the woman was buying him a 9mm Springfield, and the rounds he was buying wouldn’t work with that gun.
When the background check was completed, Warrington and the 17-year-old went to the checkout area. The boy placed the magazines for the Glock pistol and the rifle on the counter next to the Springfield pistol the woman had selected.
Warrington left the store, carrying the newly purchased pistol, with the youth carrying the ammunition magazines.
Taimanglo stopped them outside and introduced himself.
Warrington said she was buying the gun for her son’s friend who was with him. Taimanglo asked her how old he is, and she reportedly stated, “maybe 18.”
Taimanglo walked over to the youth and asked if he knew Warrington. He said she was his friend’s mother.
When asked why he was with her, the teen said he likes to look at guns and he asked “Madeline” to help him buy a gun.
He went on to say he gave her the money for the gun and was going to pay her $200 for her service.
Taimanglo noticed an odor of fresh marijuana coming from the bag the youth was carrying. Inside it was a jar of marijuana and a digital scale.
The youth gave the officer his birth date indicating he turned 17 in late November.
Both suspects were transported to the police station in Mount Penn to be interviewed further.
Warrington explained that it was not the first time she purchased a firearm for the same youth. When asked to estimate how many times, she indicated at least six.
She said he would come to her house and she would drive them to Cro-Arms where the youth would look at and handle firearms, selecting the ones he wanted her to buy.
He would give her cash for the gun once the transaction was approved and she would turn over the weapon to him, receiving a $200 fee.
After they would leave the gun shop, Warrington would drive the youth to one of his friends’ homes where they would scratch off the serial number.
She said she knew it was wrong but needed the cash.
On the state police “Application/Record of Sale” form, Warrington answered “yes” to the question, “Are you the actual buyer of the firearm …”
Based on that information, police concluded Warrington knowingly made false statements on the state police form when she made five firearms purchases.