The Federal Bureau of Investigation recently charged two men with felonies in an alleged straw purchase scheme to bring handguns to Chicago to sell. They are both charged with conspiracy to deal firearms without a license and unlawfully dealing and importing firearms, the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois said in a statement.

So what is a straw purchase? It happens when a person buys a gun for someone who is prohibited by law from possessing guns or when a person buys a gun for someone who doesn’t want their name on gun dealer forms documenting legal gun sales.

According to the FBI, a Chicago man paid a Wisconsin resident to make legal gun purchases at several stores, gun shows and pawn shops by falsely certifying on federal forms that he was the buyer. In fact, the FBI says, the purchases were made in order to resell the guns to the Chicago man, who then resold the firearms here.

Law enforcement officials claim that the Chicago suspect told the Wisconsin man which guns to buy, and then acquired those guns by paying a premium over the original purchase price.

In the first half of last year, the two men were allegedly involved in straw purchases and distribution that resulted in 19 handguns to be purchased in Wisconsin, brought to Chicago and then resold here, the indictment filed in federal court states.

If the men are convicted of the charges, they face the possibility of years in federal prison.

Those facing such serious allegations should discuss the evidence and charges with an attorney experienced in protecting clients at every step in Chicago’s federal courts.