The federal trial of a town of Alexandria gun dealer alleged to have sold guns to a forbidden party has been pushed back about two months.

Louis R. Panunzio, 83, who operates Panunzio’s Gun Shop at his residence at 46559 Route 37, Hammond, faces an indictment in U.S. District Court, Syracuse, charging him with making false statements in his records, which he is required under federal regulations to keep as a firearms licensee. A trial was set to begin in the matter April 15, but after a conference was held Monday , the date was moved to June 10.

It is alleged that Mr. Panunzio knowingly allowed a “straw buyer” to purchase .338-caliber semi-automatic rifle for a man who previously had been denied the sale by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System because he was a fugitive wanted in South Carolina.

After being denied the sale, the man returned with a female undercover federal agent, who was allowed to make the purchase after Mr. Panunzio completed the required documentation, allegedly knowing that the gun was for the forbidden buyer, not the woman.

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