The phone part is easier in many places. I've personally bought both a phone and SIM card in cash from a corner store in SF. I was asked to provide some legal information for the SIM, but they pointedly did not look at my ID or anything, so I was free to write whatever I wanted on the order form. They told me only the SIM required the info, not the phone.
You could have also just bought a T-Mobile SIM and then activated a pre-paid plan with just credits you buy with whatever you want. You can get them for cryptocurrency as well on a lot of places.
