Stephanie Kessel, a 41-year-old resident of Omaha, Nebraska, received a sentence in federal court for making a false statement regarding firearm acquisition. According to Acting United States Attorney Matthew R. Molsen, Kessel was sentenced on April 16, 2025, to three years of probation by United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher.
The incident traces back to July 28, 2023, when Kessel met a cooperating individual working with law enforcement at the parking lot of Cabela’s in La Vista, Nebraska. The individual, identified as a convicted felon, informed Kessel about their inability to legally purchase firearms due to their criminal record. Despite this information, Kessel purchased two Taurus 9mm handguns from Cabela’s. Subsequently, she returned to the parking lot and sold the handguns to the cooperating individual for $1,000.
In the process of buying the firearms, Kessel completed a required ATF firearms purchase form, falsely indicating herself as the actual buyer, despite the arrangement to transfer the weapons to the convicted felon.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Omaha Police Department.