N. Idaho man pleads guilty to ‘lie and buy’ gun crime

COEUR D’ALENE – A 23-year-old North Idaho man has pleaded guilty to lying to buy a gun for his own use, but that instead was for someone else.

Alex James Spooner of Coeur d’Alene pleaded guilty Tuesday in U.S. District Court to one count of unlawful acquisition of a firearm, commonly called “lie and buy.”

Court documents say Spooner bought seven firearms for another person living in North Dakota but told the gun seller the guns were for him.

Documents say four of the guns ended up in Chicago and one was used in a shooting about a week after being purchased by Spooner.

Spooner is scheduled to be sentenced on June 19. He faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.