Former Pittsburgh gun store owner gets 30 months on weapons charges
http://www.guns.com/2018/01/11/forme...apons-charges/
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Erik Lowry, 38, pleaded guilty last June to selling guns through his shop, Pittsburgh Tactical Firearms, without the proper paperwork and illegal possession of a destructive device. (Photo: KRMG)
A one-time western Pennsylvania gun shop owner was sentenced in federal court this week over improper records on numerous transactions and mishandling an unregistered National Firearms Act item.
Erik David Lowry, owner of the now-defunct Pittsburgh Tactical Firearms in McKeesport, was sentenced to 30 months in prison and assessed a $30,000 fine for felony witness and evidence tampering and owning a shotgun classified under the NFA as a destructive device without supporting documentation.
According to court documents, from early 2014 until January 2017, the store sold and delivered over 100 firearms without completing any of the required federal paperwork for such sales. In a statement from the U.S. attorney’s office, these weapons were described by Lowry as “cash and carry,” “cash out the door,” or “turn and burn” firearms “off books” with officials cataloging 27 guns so classified on the store’s racks during one visit alone.
Investigators found the store had sold guns without a background check including one to a prohibited possessor with a prior mental health commitment, and another to a buyer who had previously failed a background check at the store due to a criminal record.
As for Lowry personally, he possessed for several months in 2016 a Penn Arms Striker 12-gauge destructive device that was not registered and, to keep the ATF from investigating the specialty weapon, asked several people at the shop to remove the gun from the safe and throw it in a dumpster to “avoid federal prison.”
Lowry, who entered a guilty plea on the charges last summer, was facing as much as 55 years in prison as well as fines topping $1.25 million. In addressing the court prior to sentencing, Justin McShane, Lowry’s attorney, noted his client had cooperated with the ATF since his indictment and taken full responsibility for his actions.
“Simply put, he did improper and illegal acts,” said McShane. “He was caught during a routine audit conducted by the ATF Industry Operations. He takes ownership for it.”
In addition to prison time and fines, Lowry faces three years of supervised release.
Re: Former Pittsburgh gun store owner gets 30 months on weapons charges
Re: Former Pittsburgh gun store owner gets 30 months on weapons charges
your papers are not in order.
Re: Former Pittsburgh gun store owner gets 30 months on weapons charges
Quote:
Originally Posted by
john9001
your papers are not in order.
Look again, my papers are in order ...........:D:D
Re: Former Pittsburgh gun store owner gets 30 months on weapons charges
How can an FFL be that stupid?
Re: Former Pittsburgh gun store owner gets 30 months on weapons charges
Quote:
Originally Posted by
esh21167
How can an FFL be that stupid?
In the 30+ years I've been in business I've seen numerous FFLs act in this stupid a manner or even more so. A few examples:
The FFL, who during the 2012/2013 buying panic after the Sandy Hook incident, delivered dozens of firearms at the Oaks Gun Show without PICS checks. He did so because PICS was busy and Pa. FFLs couldn't get through as the phone lines were busy. When caught doing this he explained he was "Going to run the PICS checks later in the evening when the phone lines weren't as busy." He excused his actions "Because I'm a Federal Agent and I'm exempt." (He was working as a corrections officer at the time) Needless to say, he's no longer in business.
The FFL who was making and selling illegal automatic weapons to fund his "Free Militia". When the Feds raided his "bunker" he sobbingly surrendered after boasting "NO ONE WILL TAKE ME ALIVE!"
The FFL who was logging out dozens of guns to either non-existent people, or logging out multiple firearms on one 4473 transaction. When his business partner (Who btw knew nothing about this and is an honest stand-up guy) caught him, the sleaze-ball attempted to burn the records. Fortunately his honest partner intercepted him, salvaged the records and turned the whole case over to the ATF.
Most FFLs make honest mistakes and do their best to rectify them. The ATF can be pretty forgiving of that. They do not however take deliberate criminal actions so lightly.
