PGH Tactical Firearms Sudden Closing

[Solaran_X]

THREAD NECRO!

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/ea...s/201706130120

A McKeesport gun dealer admitted Tuesday in federal court that he acquired and sold guns illegally with no paperwork, sold guns to a convicted felon and to a mentally ill person who couldn’t have one and illegally acquired a military shotgun, among other offenses.

Erik Lowry, 37, also entered a guilty plea on behalf of his company, Pittsburgh Tactical Firearms, which is now out of business.

Mr. Lowry, the sole owner, was charged in March after an investigation by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives turned up numerous violations of federal law at his store, originally incorporated as Renaissance Electric on Walnut Street.

He pleaded guilty to possession of an unregistered weapon and took responsibility for other counts of witness tampering and attempting to tamper with evidence.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ross Lenhardt said Mr. Lowry acquired a Penn Arms Striker 12 shotgun in 2015 but didn’t tell ATF or register the weapon as required.

The gun, a military-style 12-gauge shotgun with a drum magazine, is considered a destructive device under federal law and must be entered into the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record database.

Mr. Lenhardt said that as ATF began investigating Mr. Lowry, he asked several people to have them hide or destroy the gun by throwing it in a dumpster so he could “avoid federal prison.”

“As these attempts failed, Lowry contacted the previous Striker 12 owner and created a false story about the date, time and manner of the acquisition which he and the prior owner both provided to ATF,” Mr. Lenhardt said.

The prior owner has not been charged. But Mr. Lowry waived grand jury indictment and pleaded to what prosecutors call an “information,” or direct complaint, which is typically an indication of cooperation with federal agents.

He and his attorney had no comment.

The case began when ATF inspected Mr. Lowry’s business in January and noted “numerous significant and clear violations of law.” Mr. Lenhardt said agents found 27 guns in a gun rack which Mr. Lowry called “cash and carry” and was willing sell with no paperwork.

As agents investigated further, they said they determined that Mr. Lowry had illegally acquired and sold over 100 “cash and carry” guns at his store and at gun shows between 2014 and 2016.

Agents also said they also discovered transactions in which Mr. Lowry sold guns with no background checks and sold to someone with a criminal record. Felons aren’t allowed to have guns.

In addition, agents said Mr. Lowry sold guns to a prohibited person with a prior mental health commitment who had been denied guns by two other dealers who had done the proper background check.

They also said he knowingly put down false information on gun transaction forms.

“Some of these transactions involved military-style weapons,” said Mr. Lenhardt, “and the ATF has expended significant resources attempting to locate and recover these illegally sold firearms.”

U.S. District Judge Arthur Schwab set sentencing for Oct. 23. Mr. Lowry is facing a likely sentencing range of two years to 30 months. He remains free on bond until then.

[Rotorwash]

He is being charged with illegally selling guns at a gun show? I thought anyone could buy guns at a gun show without any background check? Isn't there a gun show loophole? *sarcasm*

[Emptymag]

I thought surely some of the charges were exaggerated/half-truths, but apparently some people ARE just that fucking stupid.

[Sgt.K]

I thought surely some of the charges were exaggerated/half-truths, but apparently some people ARE just that fucking stupid.

Concise. Props.

[ViperHummel]

Back before FB went full anti-gun, he ran a local buy-sell group. Wouldn't surprise me if he did even more peddling through there.

[nfafan]

The "Striker 12" crap - the originals in the young 80s were just revolving shotguns until ATF got a bug and decided to make them all NFA overnight. You scrambled to get them "amnesty" registered as NFA to legally keep them. Maybe his was not registered... so even if he thought he'd get a pass as a CL3 dealer - no go.

Back when an FFL was easy to get - as a lawful right for the law-abiding to try to be in the gun biz - folks were tacking on a CL to get in on the party. Do like 3 NFA transfers a year to show your actively in the biz... we simply transfer otherwise unobtainable dealer samples amongst each other and snag a few $100.00 MACs as keepers along the way.

Eventually get outta the biz- keep them all until you die. No other way to get and keep a genuine factory MP5 or factory Beretta Modelo21.

[Marcus99]

He is being charged with illegally selling guns at a gun show? I thought anyone could buy guns at a gun show without any background check? Isn't there a gun show loophole? *sarcasm*

I'm no expert but I think the so-called loophole doesn't apply to those who hold an FFL and are conducting business.

[Solaran_X]

Honestly, I'm not surprised. I've bought one or two guns from him at the Monroeville Gun Show and overheard passersby ask which of his racks as the "cash and carry" rack. Stopped buying from him after hearing that.

[39flathead]

I'm no expert but I think the so-called loophole doesn't apply to those who hold an FFL and are conducting business.

Did you not notice the *sarcasm* notation?

[scruff]

Ex-gun dealer from McKeesport sentenced to 30 months in federal prison
Torsten Ove
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Jan 10, 2018 3:57 PM
http://www.post-gazette.com/local/so...s/201801100152

A judge sent a former McKeesport gun dealer to federal prison Wednesday for 30 months on his conviction for selling weapons without paperwork and selling to a felon and a mentally ill person.

U.S. District Judge Arthur Schwab imposed that term on Erik Lowry and also ordered him to pay a $30,000 fine.

Lowry, 37, had previously pleaded guilty for himself and on behalf of his company, Pittsburgh Tactical Firearms.

Lowry had been the target of a federal investigation that revealed a host of weapons violations. In 2015, he acquired a Penn Arms Striker 12 shotgun but didn't tell the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives that he had, as required by law. The weapon is a military-style shotgun with a drum magazine and has to be entered into a national database as a "destructive device."

Prosecutors said that as agents starting looking at Lowry, he asked friends to help him hide or destroy the gun so he could stay out of prison.

ATF agents also visited Lowry's business in January 2017 and noticed many violations, including finding 27 guns in a gun rack labeled "cash and carry." They found that he had illegally acquired and sold more than 100 cash-and-carry guns between 2014 and 2016, essentially selling weapons with no paperwork.

He also sold guns with no background checks, sold to someone with a criminal background who couldn't have a gun and sold to someone with a history of mental problems who had been denied guns by other dealers.

Pittsburgh Tactical is defunct.