Rochester, N.Y. - A woman from Greece faces state and federal charges for allegedly purchasing guns that were later used to ambush firemen on Christmas Eve.
24-year-old Dawn Nguyen, who used to be a neighbor of the gunman, has been charged with making a false statement while purchasing a Bushmaster semiautomatic rifle and a Mossberg 12 gauge shotgun. The gunman, William Spengler was found with the weapons shortly after he shot and killed firefighters Michael Chiapperini and Tomasz Kaczowka.
"Ms. Nguyen intentionally and knowingly obtained the weapons with the understanding they would go to Spengler," said William Hochul, U.S. Attorney.
Nguyen was with Spengler at the Gander Mountain in Henrietta in 2010 when she purchased the firearms, according to court documents.
"He was her neighbor and went down with her because he knew about certain weapons," said David Palmiere, Nguyen's attorney.
Court documents state that Nguyen purchased the firearms for her own personal protection and did not report them stolen at any point.
Monroe County District Attorney Sandra Doorley said Nguyen will be charged in Henrietta Town Court on State charges related to falsifying records in the purchase of the guns.
Spengler, who was imprisoned from 1981 to 1998 for killing his grandmother, was not allowed to own firearms.
"Dawn Nguyen told the seller of these weapons that she was to be true owner and buyer of these guns," said Hochul. "It is absolutely against federal law to provide any materially false information" on a firearms application.
