Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/boundvolumes/524bv.pdf
Page Number: 234.0

524us1$82I

02-22-99 22:42:40 PAGES OPINPGT

Cite as: 524 U. S. 184 (1998)

189

Opinion of the Court

The § 922(a)(1)(A) 7 offense at issue in this case is an “other
provision” in the “willfully” category.

II

The jury having found petitioner guilty, we accept the
Government’s version of
the evidence. That evidence
proved that petitioner did not have a federal license to deal
in ﬁrearms; that he used so-called “straw purchasers” in Ohio
to acquire pistols that he could not have purchased himself;
that the straw purchasers made false statements when pur-
chasing the guns; that petitioner assured the straw purchas-
ers that he would ﬁle the serial numbers off the guns; and
that he resold the guns on Brooklyn street corners known for
drug dealing. The evidence was unquestionably adequate to
prove that petitioner was dealing in ﬁrearms, and that he
knew that his conduct was unlawful.8 There was, however,
no evidence that he was aware of the federal law that pro-
hibits dealing in ﬁrearms without a federal license.

Petitioner was charged with a conspiracy to violate 18
U. S. C. § 922(a)(1)(A), by willfully engaging in the busi-
ness of dealing in ﬁrearms, and with a substantive viola-
tion of that provision.9 After the close of evidence, peti-
tioner requested that the trial judge instruct the jury that
petitioner could be convicted only if he knew of the federal

“(C) knowingly imports or brings into the United States or any posses-
sion thereof any ﬁrearm or ammunition in violation of section 922(l); or

“(D) willfully violates any other provision of this chapter,
“shall be ﬁned under this title, imprisoned not more than ﬁve years,

or both.”

7 See n. 2, supra.
8 Why else would he make use of straw purchasers and assure them that
he would shave the serial numbers off the guns? Moreover, the street
corner sales are not consistent with a good-faith belief in the legality of
the enterprise.

9 Although the prohibition against unlicensed dealing in ﬁrearms is
set forth in § 922, see n. 2, supra, the criminal sanction is set forth in
§ 924(a)(1), see n. 6, supra.