U.S. Attorney William S. Thompson | U.S. Department of Justice
Laikin Williams, a 25-year-old resident of Parkersburg, has admitted guilt in relation to a straw purchase firearm crime. In court proceedings, it was revealed that on August 5, 2022, Williams acquired a Taurus model PT111 G2A 9mm pistol from a local business in Parkersburg. He confessed to buying the gun for another person while falsely claiming on the ATF Federal Firearms Transaction Records Form 4473 that he was the actual purchaser.
Williams' sentencing is set for March 17, 2025. He could face up to five years of imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a fine reaching $250,000.
United States Attorney Will Thompson announced this development and praised the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) for their investigation and the support from the Parkersburg Violent Crime and Narcotics Task Force.
The case was overseen by United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston. Assistant United States Attorney D. Keith Randolph and former Assistant United States Attorney Troy D. Adams were responsible for prosecuting.
This prosecution falls under the criminal aspects of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA), which aims to combat illegal firearms trafficking and straw purchasing. This legislation was enacted by Congress and signed into law in June 2022.
Further details about this case can be accessed through PACER by referencing Case No. 2:24-cr-133 or via the U.S. Attorney’s Office website for the Southern District of West Virginia.
