ATF launches 'Don't Lie for the Other Guy™' campaign in St. Louis

ST. LOUIS - The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, together with the U.S. Attorney's Office and St. Louis area law enforcement leaders, today announced the launch of the " Don't Lie for the Other Guy™ " public awareness campaign in the St. Louis metropolitan area.

The initiative focuses on potential straw purchasers, individuals who purchase a firearm on behalf of another person who is prohibited from legally purchasing one or who simply does not want their name associated with the purchase.

Now in its 26th year, the collaborative campaign between ATF and the National Shooting Sports Foundation combines public education with the support of federally licensed firearms retailers to help prevent illegal straw purchases before they occur. The campaign reminds the public that straw purchasing is a federal felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Additional federal charges may apply when a straw purchase is made with the intent to traffic firearms across state lines.

Following today's announcement, the campaign will be promoted through digital billboards, digital-out-of-home displays, desktop, mobile and tablet devices, and programmatic audio across geotargeted platforms throughout the St. Louis metropolitan area. The campaign is expected to generate approximately 8.3 million digital impressions throughout the area.

The campaign will run through September 4, 2026, reminding residents of the legal consequences of straw purchasing and encouraging responsible firearm purchasing decisions that help keep firearms out of the hands of violent criminals.

To buy a firearm, an individual must complete ATF Form 4473 and undergo a background check through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. Individuals who know they cannot legally possess a firearm, or who want to conceal their identity as the true buyer, often recruit a friend, family member or acquaintance to buy it on their behalf.

Federal firearms licensees play a critical role in preventing straw purchases by recognizing suspicious purchasing behavior, educating customers about the law, and reporting potential violations to ATF. Through the "Don't Lie for the Other Guy™" campaign, participating retailers receive educational materials that help reinforce those messages at the point of sale.

The St. Louis campaign launched with a press conference led by ATF Special Agent in Charge Bernard "Butch" Hansen of the Kansas City Field Division, joined by U.S. Attorney Thomas Albus for the Eastern District of Missouri, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department Chief Robert Tracy, St. Louis County Police Department Chief Juan Cox, and St. Charles County Police Department Chief Kurt Frisz.

"ATF investigates straw purchasers because they are one of the primary ways firearms are diverted from the legal marketplace into the criminal marketplace," Hansen said. "The first crime committed with many crime guns happens at the gun counter, when someone lies on a federal firearms form to buy a gun for someone else. Every illegal straw purchase creates another opportunity for a firearm to end up in the hands of a violent offender. This campaign is about helping people understand that one decision can have life-changing consequences for an entire community."

Recent ATF investigations in Missouri demonstrate how those illegal purchases can fuel violent crime. In June, a Ferguson man admitted to purchasing 27 firearms on behalf of others after those same firearms were recovered at crime scenes in Missouri, Illinois and Arkansas. ATF has also investigated firearms trafficking schemes involving repeated illegal purchases that resulted in crime guns being recovered across multiple states and significant federal prison sentences .

"Federal prosecutors will continue to pursue these offenses to protect the public, prosecute violent crime, and enforce federal firearms laws - all of which are top priorities for the Department of Justice," said U.S. Attorney Thomas Albus of the Eastern District of Missouri. "The United States Attorney's Office urges anyone asked to purchase a firearm for another person to refuse. No payment, favor, or personal relationship is worth the serious criminal consequences that can and will result from participating in a straw purchase."

"Keeping illegal firearms out of the hands of violent offenders requires more than arrests-it requires strong partnerships and a shared commitment to prevention," said St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department Chief Robert J. Tracy. "By working alongside ATF and our federal, state, and local partners, we're addressing illegal gun trafficking before it leads to another victim, another family forever changed, or another neighborhood impacted by violence."

ATF protects American communities from violent crime driven by the illegal use of firearms, explosives, and acts of arson. Through crime gun intelligence, forensic analysis, and relentless investigation, we identify and arrest violent offenders and gang members, dismantle trafficking networks, and sever the supply chains arming cartels, prohibited persons, and terrorist organizations. We defend the rights of law-abiding citizens by safeguarding lawful commerce and upholding the Constitution of the United States.

Learn more about what ATF is doing to reduce violent crime in your community by following us on X @ATFHQ , Instagram @ATFHQ , LinkedIn @ATF , and Facebook @HQATF , or on the web at www.atf.gov .

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