NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT (BNO NEWS) – A resident of Waterbury, Connecticut, was sentenced to three months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release for making false statements during the purchase of a firearm, prosecutors announced on Thursday.

Philip DeFrancesco, 40, was an employee of G and G Pawn Shop, in Bristol, which was a licensed arms dealer. In January 2009, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) launched an investigation in the Bristol area.

Two undercover agents, a male and a female, entered the G and G Pawn Shop on January 16. They started discussing handguns with DeFrancesco. After selecting one gun, the male agent was asked for his firearm permit. He said that he had some problems in college and wasn’t allowed to have one but that the female undercover agent did have one.

DeFrancesco handed her the ATF Form 4473, a document that federal law requires firearm purchasers to complete. The ATF Form 4473 has a specific question asking if the person filling out the form is the actual buyer of the firearm. The female filled the form under DeFrancesco sight and signed it. After receiving the pistol she gave it to the male agent immediately. DeFrancesco was fully aware of these unlawful actions and didn’t attempt to stop them.

The two undercover agents executed three more purchases using the same tactics. DeFrancesco was arrested on March 9, 2009. The agents purchased a .22 caliber pistol for $240 in cash. They repeated the same routine for filling the ATF Form 4473.