by Dan Doyle | July 22, 2025
DOYLESTOWN, PA- A Philadelphia man has been sentenced to 10 to 20 years in state prison for his role in a series of illegal firearm transactions spanning Bucks County, Montgomery County, and Philadelphia. Steven Lee Smith, 30, was convicted in April on 20 felony counts, including dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, illegal sale of firearms, sales to ineligible buyers, and providing false information during firearm purchases.
Smith appeared before Bucks County President Judge Raymond F. McHugh for sentencing on Tuesday July 22, 2025.The charges stem from a detailed investigation led by the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office and the Montgomery County Detective Bureau’s Violent Crime Unit. Investigators revealed that between July 2022 and January 2023, Smith acted as a “straw purchaser,” illegally buying nine handguns on behalf of individuals legally barred from owning firearms. Six of those guns were obtained from a licensed dealer in Croydon, located in Bristol Township.
Authorities say Smith falsely filled out federal forms during the purchases, claiming to be the true buyer, then transferred the weapons to others, a violation of both state and federal law. He attempted a tenth purchase in Allegheny County in March 2023, but that transaction was never completed. Four of the firearms Smith acquired have since been recovered. Two were found during arrests of convicted felons and had their serial numbers intentionally removed, a tactic often used to prevent tracing. Deputy District Attorney Thomas C. Gannon, who prosecuted the case, emphasized the danger posed by Smith’s actions.
During sentencing, Gannon pointed to a November 2021 incident in which Smith drove a gunshot victim, Dymir Mitchell, to a Philadelphia hospital. Despite both men claiming they were strangers, Smith later purchased a firearm for Mitchell an individual prohibited from possessing weapons due to his criminal record. That firearm was recovered just 61 days after the purchase. “This case demonstrates the very real and immediate risks posed by illegal straw purchases,” Gannon said. Steven Smith knew exactly what he was doing and who he was doing it for.
The community is safer because of this sentence.”The case was built through a multi-agency collaboration involving the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office, Montgomery County detectives, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Attorney General’s Gun Violence Task Force, and both the Philadelphia and Bridgeport Police Departments.
“This collaborative effort sends a clear message: we will relentlessly pursue and prosecute those who facilitate illegal gun trafficking,” Bucks County District Attorney officials said in a statement. “Our goal is accountability and safer communities.” Smith’s sentence reflects the serious consequences of trafficking firearms to dangerous individuals, especially amid rising concerns about gun violence in the region.