Straw purchases of firearms are the leading source of trafficked guns, which are in turn often used in violent crimes. Increasing the punishment for this crime will help both deter the crime itself and more severely punish those who commit it in a manner that’s commensurate with their crimes.
Straw purchases of firearms are already illegal at the federal level and have strong penalties (a fine of up to $250,000 and up to 10 years imprisonment). There’s no need to further raise the punishment for this crime. Instead, Congress should crack down on gun sellers with a track record of selling guns that are later tied to crimes.