New Details After Federal Raid at a Sierra Vista Gun Store

SIERRA VISTA, Ariz. — (SVL) A federal investigation into illegal firearms trafficking has resulted in the indictment of two men accused of selling weapons to straw purchasers. The charges stem from an extensive joint investigation led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and included undercover purchases at the store and a gun show.

According to the filing, Lawrence Gray, owner of The Other Guys Gun Store on Fry Blvd in Sierra Vista, and an employee, Barrett Weinberger, were indicted on June 3, 2025 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona. The indictment includes nine counts related to firearms trafficking, straw purchasing, and aiding and abetting a person who is making false statements. A second employee, David Prince, was arrested after a separate criminal complaint was filed.

The joint investigation involved the trafficking of firearms by Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) from the Phoenix area to Mexico, the purchasing of large-caliber firearms, and bulk cash purchases. According the complaint, the agent "learned that Lawrence Gray, and his employee, David Prince...have been, and are currently, selling large caliber, belt-fed, rifles and other weapons of choice to individuals they know are coordinating the trafficking of these items into Mexico."

The agent stated, "This investigation has shown that both Gray and Prince are facilitating and encouraging the transfer of firearms to individuals who explicitly convey that the firearms are destined for federally designated terrorist organizations. Additionally, through this investigation, I learned that Gray and Prince, working together, along and knowingly transferred these firearms to straw purchasers and prohibited possessors."

Details from the investigation revealed that during one of the undercover operations, a confidential informant asked Gray if there was a checkpoint on the way back to Phoenix, and Gray responded "yes but don't tell' em what you have." Another time, an undercover agent completed a federal firearms form after the informant did not have a cleared background check. The charges stem from occurrences between February and June, with the last one being the day of the ATF seizure at the store.

Gray and Weinberger both face six counts in the indictment related trafficking in firearms, straw purchasing (aiding and abetting), and aiding and abetting a person who made false entries on ATF Form 4473, (buyer falsely claiming to be the actual purchaser when buying for someone else). Prince faces three counts in the criminal complaint related to aiding and abetting a person who knowingly made false statements during a firearms transaction.

Some of the weapons included a Colt 1911 (.38 Super), Barrett M82A1 (.50 cal), FNH 14 M249S Para, 5.56x45mm belt-fed rifle, and an FNH 15 M249S, 5.56x45mm belt-fed rifle.

Gray and Weinberger made their initial court appearance on Thursday and were released on personal recognizance pending trial, scheduled to begin on August 5.

Prince was also released on Thursday after his first appearance with a court date to be set.