Straw Purchaser Of Firearm Used In Norristown Killing Busted: DA

NORRISTOWN, PA — Another arrest has been made in a recent killing during a street fight in Norristown, as authorities have tracked down the man they said illegally sold the firearm used in the crime.

Sincere Burnett, 21, of Norristown, completed a "straw purchase" of the gun for Hilton Freeman,the man police said fired the fatal shots in the April 25 incident. Freeman, who is already in custody, is not legally allowed to own a firearm.

“This murder of Junior Pinnock by Hilton Freeman using a straw purchased gun shows exactly what the ramifications are of straw purchased firearms," Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele said in a statement. "We knew it was only a matter of time before a murder happened using a gun we could directly trace to a straw purchase. And now here we are.”

RELATED: 2 Arrested In Florida Following Norristown Street Fight Death

An investigation determined that Burnett bought the weapon in question, a Sarsilmaz 9mm semiautomatic pistol, on March 22, just 34 days before the killing, police said. It was found by detectives in recent days in a local recreation area. Burnett was arrested shortly thereafter in a Montgomery County gun store.

On the night of the killing, the 31-year-old Pinnock came to the area of Ann and Barbadoes streets looking for Kent in a nearby home, according to authorities.

Video surveillance showed Kent and Freeman park in a nearby county-owned lot shortly thereafter. Kent and Pinnock began fighting in the lot, and Kent pulled out a long handled knife and lunged at Pinnock, police said.

Pinnock knocked the knife away, and that's when Freeman stepped forward and shot Pinnock several times, authorities said. Pinnock died shortly thereafter.

Norristown's Asia Jackson, 18, has also been arrested after helping hide Freeman and assist his getaway after the killing, the DA's Office said. The pair were arrested in Florida in the weeks following the incident.

Burnett is charged with three counts of unlawful transfer of a firearm, materially false statements, firearm carried without a license, and related counts. He failed to post $500,000 bail and was booked at Montgomery County Correctional Facility. A preliminary hearing is set for June 7.