A New Jersey man was sentenced on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026, to 10 to 20 years in state prison for his role in a prolific "straw purchasing" operation that funneled illegally obtained firearms into the community.

Christopher Demond Lee Jr., 30, of Ewing, New Jersey, pleaded guilty in September to multiple felony counts, including dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity, making materially false written statements in connection with the purchase of firearms, and criminal conspiracy.

The sentence by Senior Judge Jeffrey L. Finley follows a comprehensive investigation by the Bucks County Strike Force, led by Detective Jeffrey Jumper, in collaboration with the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Gun Violence Task Force.

Investigators determined that between January and July 2024, Lee purchased nine firearms across multiple transactions in Morrisville, Pennsylvania. To facilitate these purchases, Lee illegally obtained a Pennsylvania driver’s license and used a false Bucks County address on official forms to bypass residency requirements.

The investigation revealed that Lee was acting as a "straw purchaser," buying firearms for individuals who were otherwise ineligible to own them. Evidence, including electronic communications, showed Lee offered to purchase these weapons in exchange for cash.

Three of the firearms were later recovered during criminal investigations:

• April 25, 2024: A handgun purchased by Lee was recovered by Trenton Police after being used in an aggravated assault where a victim was shot ten times.
• June 14, 2024: A firearm with an obliterated serial number, later identified as one of Lee’s purchases, was found in the bedroom of a juvenile during a search by Bucks County Juvenile Probation.
• August 31, 2024: Philadelphia Police recovered another of Lee’s firearms during a narcotics arrest.

During the sentencing hearing, Judge Finley addressed Lee’s lack of a prior criminal record but emphasized the severity of the crimes. “You had a clean slate,” Judge Finley noted. “If we were to sell a gun to someone inquiring illegally, the odds are pretty dang good they will be used for criminal conduct.”

"Straw purchasing is a direct pipeline that puts deadly weapons into the hands of those who should never have them, often with devastating consequences for our communities,” said Bucks County District Attorney Joe Khan. “We will continue to work tirelessly with the Attorney General and our partners in the Gun Violence Task Force to hold those who fuel the cycle of gun violence accountable.”

This case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Edward Furman Jr.

Media Contact: Manuel Gamiz Jr., 215.348.6298, mgamiz@buckscounty.org