A Temple man has been charged following an investigation into an alleged straw purchase of a firearm in Berks County that was later recovered in the Dominican Republic, according to the Berks County District Attorney’s Office.
Detectives with the District Attorney’s Office Gun Violence Reduction Task Force filed charges against 35-year-old Lewis DeLaCruz-Martinez following an investigation conducted in partnership with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
DeLaCruz-Martinez is charged with sale or transfer of firearms — materially false written statement, a third-degree felony, and unsworn falsification to authorities, a third-degree misdemeanor.
According to the District Attorney’s Office, the investigation began in May after the ATF notified Berks County detectives that a firearm purchased in the county had been recovered by authorities in the Dominican Republic on Dec. 25, 2025.
Federal tracing determined the firearm had been legally purchased in Berks County by DeLaCruz-Martinez 109 days before it was recovered overseas, investigators said.
Detectives determined that DeLaCruz-Martinez purchased a Glock .380-caliber pistol from a federally licensed firearms dealer in Mount Penn on Sept. 21, 2025.
Authorities allege another individual selected and paid for the firearm while DeLaCruz-Martinez completed federal and state firearms transaction forms identifying himself as the actual purchaser.
Investigators said their findings were based on a review of federal and state firearms transaction records, ATF firearm tracing and statements obtained during the investigation. According to the District Attorney’s Office, investigators learned DeLaCruz-Martinez never possessed or saw the firearm again after leaving the dealer.
A straw purchase occurs when someone legally eligible to purchase a firearm buys it on behalf of another person while falsely identifying themselves as the actual purchaser. Federal and state firearm purchase forms require buyers to certify that they are the true purchaser.
District Attorney John Adams said straw firearm purchases pose a public safety threat because they can allow individuals to circumvent background checks and accountability.
DeLaCruz-Martinez surrendered to detectives at the Berks County Services Center on Aug. 14 and was taken to the Berks County Sheriff’s Department Processing Center for processing and arraignment. Bail information was not available at the time the District Attorney’s Office issued its release.
The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact Berks County detectives at 610-478-7171. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Crime Alert Berks County at 877-373-9913, through the ALERTBERKS mobile app or by texting “ALERTBERKS” followed by the tip to 847411.
The charges are accusations. DeLaCruz-Martinez is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
