Pawn Shop Guns. Know What Your Purchasing

Thunderguards Motorcycle Club Member Sentenced For Trafficking Firearms Thursday, March 13, 2025 U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Delaware WILMINGTON, Del. – Shannon T. Hanson, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced today that Robert Dorsey, 47, of New Jersey, was sentenced on March 11, 2025, to 46 months incarceration for trafficking firearms. U.S. District Judge Richard G. Andrews pronounced the sentence. According to court documents, between September and October 2023, Dorsey sold a total of four firearms during three separate transactions to a law enforcement informant in New Jersey and Delaware. The firearms included a privately made firearm (PMF), known commonly as a “ghost gun”, as well as a firearm that had been stolen from Maryland just a month before Dorsey sold it to the informant on the black market. Additionally, Dorsey had reason to believe one of the firearms he sold would be used in a violent crime. Further, Dorsey sold the informant crack cocaine and heroin on over five occasions, sometimes selling both drugs and a gun as part of the same transaction. Dorsey was the self-proclaimed vice president of a Thunderguards Motorcycle Club chapter, known as the “North Pole”, in Wilmington, DE. During the investigation Dorsey referred to his role as a “one-percenter” or active member of the Thunderguards, told individuals about his role and chapter affiliations with the Thunderguards, and in fact, other members of the Club were present with Dorsey during the last firearm sale to the informant in Delaware. Acting U.S. Attorney Hanson, said, “Trafficking firearms, especially PMFs and stolen guns, is a serious threat to public safety. Illegally trafficking guns provide individuals who are prohibited from possessing firearm with ready access to deadly weapons. I commend the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives for disrupting the unlawful trafficking of firearms in the New Jersey and Delaware region. I want to thank ATF, Delaware State Police, and our local law enforcement partners for their thorough investigation.” This investigation is an example of ATF’s dedication to working with our state, local and federal partners in identifying, pursuing, and investigating violent offenders who illegally possess or utilize firearms to commit violent crimes, and those who engage in the unlawful trafficking of firearms. ATF is proud and honored to have such a great working relationship with these outstanding law enforcement organizations and these results demonstrate how the partnerships between our agencies work to protect our communities and hold criminals accountable,” stated Special Agent in Charge LC Cheeks Jr., ATF Newark Field Division. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Delaware State Police, New Jersey State Police, and Pennsville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel S. Frey prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 23-CR-91-RGA. Updated March 13, 2025

Federal Firearms Licensee Sentenced to Prison for Selling Firearms “Off-The-Books” Friday, March 14, 2025 U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Florida MIAMI – A Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) was sentenced on March 13 in a federal court in Fort Pierce for selling firearms “off-the-books.” Michael John Pellicione, 76, of Port St. Lucie, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge K. Michael Moore to 15 months in prison, followed by one year of supervised release and a $7,500 fine. In December 2024, Pellicione pleaded guilty to five counts of failure of a firearms dealer to keep proper record of a sale, in violation of 18 U.S.C. Sections 922(b)(5) and 914(a)(1)(D). Pellicione was charged with a criminal complaint in September 2024 and was subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2024. According to allegations contained in court documents, including a Stipulation of Facts, filed in this matter, Pellicione, was an FFL, dba Mike’s Gun Shop, out of his residence in Port St. Lucie. In April 2024, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents discovered that firearms, linked to sales by Pellicione, were recovered in Canada and Jamaica. After an investigation, ATF determined that Pellicione failed to enter at least six firearms, sold by a law enforcement officer, into his acquisition and disposition (A&D) record. Pellicione admitted that when customers dropped their used firearms off to him, he took pictures of the firearms and then sent them to other interested customers. Pellicione also admitted that he repeatedly failed to log the used firearms in his A&D book, did not conduct a background check, or require the buyer to fill ATF Forms 4473 for the firearms. In failing to do so, Pellicione also failed to record the name, age, and address of purchasers as required by law. Federal law requires an FFL to record, in the A&D book, all the firearms that the FFL receives or makes, and then indicate where each of those firearms are – whether they are still in the FFL’s inventory or where they went if they were sold or transferred. Additionally, the A&D book must include the type of firearm, the make, model, caliber, and serial number, the date and from whom the firearm was received and that person’s address, as well as the name, date, and address of the person to whom the firearm was sold or transferred. U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida, Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami and Acting Special Agent in Charge John F. Dion Jr. of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division, made the announcement. HSI Fort Pierce and ATF Fort Pierce Field Office investigated this case. Managing Assistant U.S. Attorney Carmen Lineberger prosecuted the case. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-14055.

New Orleans Man Sentenced For Possession of a Machinegun Friday, March 14, 2025 U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Louisiana shane.jones@usdoj.gov NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that XAVION WATTS, age 22, formerly a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on March 12, 2025 by United States District Judge Lance M. Africk to the statutory maximum of 120 months imprisonment, after previously pleading guilty to Possession of a Machinegun, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(o). Judge Africk ordered WATTS placed on supervised release for three (3) years following his release from imprisonment and pay a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. Court documents reveal that NOPD officers were on patrol on October 29, 2022, in the French Quarter when they saw a firearm in WATTS‘s waistband as he walked down Bourbon Street. As officers approached WATTS, he fled on foot but was caught and arrested shortly thereafter. During the arrest, officers recovered a Glock Model 17, nine-millimeter handgun with a fully automatic switch and extended magazine, containing 21 rounds and one in the chamber, from WATTS. The fully automatic switch converted the Glock into a fully automatic machine gun. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. Acting United States Attorney Simpson praised work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Mark A. Miller of the Narcotics Unit handled the prosecution. Contact Shane M. Jones Public Information Officer United States Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Louisiana United States Department of Justice Updated March 14, 2025

Jacksonville Man Pleads Guilty To Possessing A Machinegun Tuesday, March 11, 2025 U.S. Attorney's Office, Middle District of Florida Jacksonville, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces that Andres Felipe Mejia (19, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to possessing a machinegun. Mejia faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentence date has not yet been scheduled. According to court documents, on August 13, 2024, undercover agents with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives met Mejia to purchase a “switch.” The “switch” Mejia sold was a machinegun conversion device designed to convert a semiautomatic Glock pistol into a fully automatic machinegun. During the sale, Mejia explained to the undercover agents how to use the switch and offered to sell them more in the future. This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brenna Falzetta. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. Updated March 11, 2025

ATF NEWS: Rifle Theft - 4473 Problems - Who’s Is Accountable? TTAG Contributor - March 10, 2025 Lee Williams When Paul Szabo purchased the Shooter’s Emporium in 2020, which is located just a short 45-minute drive north of Indianapolis, he got some “bad vibes” from an employee whom he later terminated. Szabo’s fears were quickly confirmed. An in-house audit revealed that a brand-new Ruger American Rimfire rifle worth about $350 was missing, and evidence led directly to the former employee. “I gave him the opportunity to return the rifle. He told us to f— off, so we called the police,” Szabo told the Second Amendment Foundation. Just a few days later, in July 2022, Szabo also submitted a report to the ATF. Six months later, the suspect was arrested for the state crimes of theft and forgery: 35-43-4-2(a)/F5: Theft-Use when property stolen is a firearm, and 35-43-5-2(b)(4)/F6: Forgery-Def, w/intent to defraud, makes/utters written instrument. Now, nearly three years later, Szabo has been waiting for a trial date that never comes, and the suspect was hired by a competing gun shop, where he’s been very busy. “He hacked all of our social media accounts. He hacked our special-order accounts. We started losing customers to the other dealer, who denied he ever worked there,” Szabo said. “The next thing that happened is the prosecuting attorney sent me an email and had me look at a document. It was a 4473 for the rifle in question, filled out, completed and signed and stamped by another local FFL. It had a different name that signed the 4473 for the rifle, which has been sitting in the police department’s lockup.” Szabo is livid that the case remains in state court rather than federal court being prosecuted by the ATF. “We just sent off another letter to the ATF asking how can I have a 4473 from a different gun shop. We’ve got more people involved – another FFL. Why don’t we have a federal case?” he asked. “It’s been three years. The local prosecutor pretty much doesn’t contact me at all. I really have a bad feeling about this.” Szabo has no idea why the ATF isn’t prosecuting the case. “I don’t know why they’re not charging him federally, especially with a falsified 4473 for a gun that’s sitting in Kokomo’s police department,” he said. “The trial has been scheduled but then moved six to eight times in the three years that this has been going on.” The next trial date has been scheduled for late April. Takeaways Calls and emails to ATF’s national media inquiries line were not answered or returned, which is not a surprise. The ATF has only responded once to calls stemming from more than a hundred Second Amendment Foundation stories. Szabo’s case should have been investigated solely by the ATF. The suspect should be facing federal – not state – charges. The ATF would be more competent at dealing with a fraudulent Form 4473 than any Kokomo Police detective, because legally it’s not their area of concern. It’s a federal crime, after all, or at least it should be. So, why did the ATF take a pass on this case, which occurred right during the middle of Joe Biden’s presidency? At least that question can be answered: It wasn’t big enough. Szabo’s problems were allegedly caused by a former gun shop employee, who wasn’t the shop owner. There was no way ATF could strut in, close down another gun shop and force the owner to turn over all their guns, so they didn’t take the case. That much is easy to prove. Instead, the ATF told the local police to pursue the case, even though they lack the proper training and resources. Besides, at the time, the ATF was busy trying to show Biden and other Democrats that they were more than capable of doing their job and tackling the big cases, even though most of these went bad very quickly. Just ask Russell Fincher, Mark Manley or Brian Malinowski’s widow if you need more information about how the ATF really works. The Second Amendment Foundation’s Investigative Journalism Project wouldn’t be possible without you. Click here to make a tax-deductible donation to support pro-gun stories like this.

Florida Governor Desantis Pro 2A Gregg Kielma FFL-Firearms- Instructor First Aid Fundamentals Instructor-Gunsmith- AED Defibrillator Sales The Florida Legislature kicked off its 2025 session on Tuesday with several pro-gun measures on the docket, some rolling back restrictions that were passed back in 2018 after the mass murder at a high school in Parkland, Florida. Following that shooting, the state legislature passed a law raising the minimum age to purchase a firearm from a licensed dealer from 18 to 21 years of age. Since then, the National Rifle Association and other pro-rights groups have continually fought the law in court to get it overturned. Now, a series of bills— Senate Bill 94, Senate Bill 920, Senate Bill 1716, and House Bill 759—would do just that, restoring the ability for young adults to acquire firearms by lowering the minimum age requirement to purchase from 21 to 18. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis supports the measure. He addressed the age limitation during his State of the State address on March 4. “I can tell you that we, despite us saying we’re the Free State, despite us being like, ‘Oh, we’re this Republican conservative bastion,’ we’ve definitely lagged on that issue,” Gov. DeSantis said. “The free state of Florida has not exactly led the way on protecting Second Amendment rights. We need to be a strong Second Amendment state.” Of course, there are plenty of detractors in the Florida legislature poised to try to halt the legislation’s momentum. They include House Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell, who said restoring the gun purchase age would be dangerous, even though most states have no such law. “[The changes] would be awful for our law enforcement,” she told wusf.org. “We absolutely want to keep them safe as they do their job. I was very troubled by his comments.” Incidentally, Gov. Governor DeSantis has expressed his support for the repeal of the state's red-flag law and the approval of open carry legislation. Earlier this year, he proposed what he called “Second Amendment Summer,” which would eliminate the sales tax on the purchase of guns, ammunition, and accessories from Memorial Day to the 4th of July. Another pro-gun-rights measure under consideration, Senate Bill 952/House Bill 6025, would address the problematic laws Florida has on the books regarding possession of firearms during and after emergencies. In a nutshell, the bills would repeal automatic prohibitions that violate Floridians’ Second Amendment rights during a public disorder state of local emergency. State law currently prohibits the intentional possession of a firearm in public, the sale of any ammunition or firearms and the intentional display of ammunition or firearms in a store during an emergency. The legislation addresses all three dangerous restrictions and would strike them from the books.

Federal Battle Heats Up For And Against Young Adults’ 2A Rights Mark Chesnut March 11, 2025 Gregg Kielma FFL-Firearms- Instructor First Aid Fundamentals Instructor-Gunsmith- AED Defibrillator Sales As far as constitutionally protected rights go, the right to bear arms is the only one that is largely infringed upon because of an American adult’s age. Various laws curtailing the Second Amendment rights of 18- to 20-year-olds have been fought over at the state level for the past several years. Now, one such struggle is taking place in Congress. As Democrats seek to make it illegal for adults under 21 to purchase a common semi-automatic rifle, Republicans in the Senate are trying to do away with the infringement banning 18-, 19- and 20-year-olds from purchasing handguns. Earlier this week, U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Virginia, introduced a measure that would raise the minimum age to buy so-called “assault weapons” and misnamed “high-capacity” ammunition magazines from 18 to 21. “Everyone in America should be able to live free from the fear of injury or death caused by a firearm,” Sen. Kaine said in a press release announcing the action. “One of many common-sense steps we can take to reduce that risk is limiting young people’s access to assault weapons—just like we already limit their access to handguns.” As the National Shooting Sports Foundation pointed out in late 2023, there are more Modern Sporting Rifles (NSSF’s term for what antis call “assault weapons”) in circulation than there are Ford F-150s trucks on the road. By any figure, that’s a firearm that’s commonly owned, commonly used and protected “arms” under the Second Amendment. Despite that fact, the bill lowering the age to 18 is being pushed by a who’s who of gun-ban groups, including March for Our Lives, Giffords, Newtown Action Alliance, Everytown for Gun Safety and Brady, formerly called Handgun Control Inc. Meanwhile, in the U.S. House of Representatives, Republicans are making a push to recognize the infringed-upon rights of 18-, 19- and 20-year-olds. On February 27, U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Kentucky, reintroduced the Second Amendment for Every Registrable (SAFER) Voter Act, which would lower the age from 21 to 18 for purchasing a handgun from a federal firearms licensee (FFL). Rep. Massie announced the measure, HR 1643, on Facebook, posting, “I just reintroduced the Second Amendment for Every Registrable Voter Act, HR 1643. The SAFER Voter Act would repeal the federal law that prevents voting-age adults, 18 to 20, from purchasing a handgun from a FFL.” In a press release about the measure, Rep. Massie asked a poignant question: “Why should a 20-year-old single mom be denied the right to defend herself and her children?” “18-, 19- and 20-year-olds are considered adults and can vote on important public policy issues,” Rep. Massie continued. “They can also form business contracts, get married and serve in the military. As adults, these Americans should not be deprived of basic constitutional rights.” One pro-gun rights group to quickly embrace the measure was Gun Owners of America (GOA). “The current 18 to 20-year-old handgun ban says that the Second Amendment is a second-class right, relegated to the backwaters of the Constitution,” said Aidan Johnson, GOA director of federal affairs. “Gun-grabbers believe that if they can disarm young people in the years prior to turning 21, they can discourage and depress gun ownership for a new generation of Americans. That’s why Rep. Thomas Massie’s SAFER Voter Act is so important because it restores the right of young adults to purchase handguns for self-defense.”

Florida…The New 18? Are We Going Back to 18 Years old To Purchase Firearm’s Governor DeSantis and Senate Bill 7026 Gregg Kielma FFL-Firearms- Instructor First Aid Fundamentals Instructor-Gunsmith- AED Defibrillator Sales The 2018 Parkland, Florida, shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School led to an avalanche of tragedy, including seventeen fatalities, the knee-jerk signing of Senate Bill 7026 by then-Governor Rick Scott, and David Hogg. Unfortunately, we can’t bring back the lives of those we lost that day, and it seems David Hogg will be dining out on their loss for the rest of his life, but we can restore some sense to the arbitrary and reactive nature of the anti-Second Amendment measures imposed upon Floridians from that day. And that’s exactly what Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is setting his sights on next. Among the SB 7026 provisions that would have made zero difference to someone hell-bent on taking innocent life was a raised the minimum age for firearm purchases from 18 to 21, banning the sale and possession of bump stocks, and increased law enforcement authority to seize weapons and ammunition from those they deemed mentally unfit, also known as a red-flag law, where property is “temporarily” confiscated prior to a person being found guilty of any crime. Governor DeSantis recognized that Florida law fell behind that of other conservative states when it came to defending the Second Amendment, singling out red-flag laws and the minimum age issue. He now intends to repeal some of the provisions found in the bill that he feels unnecessarily infringe on the Constitutional rights of his constituents, according to his State of the State speech, which took place on Tuesday, March 4. “The free state of Florida has not exactly led the way on protecting Second Amendment rights… We need to be a strong Second Amendment state,” DeSantis said. In 2023, DeSantis signed permitless concealed carry into law and characterized red-flag laws aptly as a “due process violation,” suggesting the burden of proof be the state’s obligation. Governor DeSantis also opined on the idea that the recent age restrictions had “taken away the rights of young adults to purchase a long gun,” pointing out that an 18-year-old soldier can carry a rifle overseas in defense of his country but could not purchase a hunting rifle upon return home to Florida. Ultimately, the Governor is forgetting that service members, law enforcement, and correctional officers may purchase long guns in Florida starting at the age of 18. This fact remains problematic, however, and flies in the face of American principles, creating a separate class of citizens and affording them a different set of rights than the public. But wherever there is an actual American who respects the Constitution of the United States and takes their oath to defend it seriously, you’ll always find some pinko pseudo-American lurking in the shadows, hungry for a seat at the authoritarian table. One such mouth breather is House Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell, who claims without foundation or any cogent explanation that DeSantis’ goals will make Florida less safe. “It seems to me that we’re breaking our promise to the parents and the students of Parkland… [The changes] would be awful for our law enforcement. We absolutely want to keep them safe as they do their job. I was very troubled by his comments,” Driskell driveled. Since you’re pretending to give a toss when it comes to keeping covenants, why don’t we wax nostalgic about those enumerated guarantees in the Bill of Rights and your sworn duty of office to defend them, sweetheart? But enough about that societal cancer. This is about a governor’s recommitment to protect and defend the rights of Florida citizens, a goal that I hope we find trending soon through the halls of the White House as we approach the due date for the Attorney General’s Second Amendment autopsy that is expected to accompany a plan of action to restore that which has been broken. It is ironic and worrisome, however, that such a monumental responsibility is now in the hands of Pam Bondi, who presided as Florida’s Attorney General from 2011 – 2019 when the provisions that DeSantis now wishes to repeal were enacted. Food for thought. Gregg Kielma FFL-Firearms- Instructor First Aid Fundamentals Instructor-Gunsmith- AED Defibrillator Sales

Guilty Pleas in December 2023 Burglary of Dozens of Firearms from a Maryland Pawn Shop Friday, March 7, 2025 U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Columbia WASHINGTON – Vincent Lee Alston, 23, of Washington D.C. and Niquan Odum, 23, pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court in connection with the December 2023 burglary of 34 firearms from a Maryland pawn shop. The plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., ATF Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department Alston, aka “Vedo,” pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit firearms trafficking. Odumn, aka “Stickz,” pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit theft from a firearms licensee and to possession of stolen firearms. U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson scheduled a sentencing hearing for Alston on June 27, 2025 and for Odumn on June 13, 2025. Alston was arrested on December 15, 2023, and has been detained since. Odumn was arrested on March 25, 2024, and has been detained since. Co-conspirator Juwon Markel Anderson, aka “Peezy,” 22, of Washington D.C., pleaded guilty on March 4 to conspiracy to commit firearms trafficking. Others charged in the conspiracy are Cy’Juan Hemsley, 18, of District Heights, Maryland, and Tyjuan McNeal, 28, of Washington, D.C. According to the court documents, on December 13, 2023, the co-conspirators drove from Washington, D.C. to the A&D Pawn Shop, a Federal Firearms Licensee, in Glen Burnie, Maryland. At the pawn shop, one of the co-conspirators used a portable saw to cut the locks on a pull-down security gate. Another co-conspirator then used a crowbar-type tool to pry open the main door. Once inside, the quintet grabbed an array of rifles, shotguns, and pistols from the shelves and display racks and fled with at least 34 of the firearms. The co-conspirators later used social media to advertise the sale of the stolen firearms. Two days after the burglary, on December 15, 2023, Alston was arrested with one of the stolen firearms. This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Metropolitan Police Department, with assistance from the ATF Baltimore Field Division. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shehzad Akhtar and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Lipes. 23cr452 Contact USADC.Media@usdoj.gov Updated March 7, 2025