Maryland, D.C. attorneys general sue gun shops for facilitating illegal gun trafficking

BALTIMORE -- The Maryland Attorney General's Office joined a lawsuit against three Maryland gun shops that sold dozens of firearms to a man who trafficked them in and around Washington, D.C.

Several of the guns were recovered at crime scenes or with suspects wanted on warrants for violent crimes, Washington, D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb said at a press conference on Tuesday.

This lengthy lawsuit by the Maryland and D.C. attorneys general, as well as Everytown Law, accuses Engage Armament, LLC, United Gun Shop and Atlantic Guns, Inc. of ignoring clear signs of illegal gun sales. The lawsuit claims the purchases happened in Montgomery County, but led to gun violence across the area.

"The goal is to disrupt and discontinue this for these defendants, and to send a signal to all gun store owners in the DMV that if this is what you do, this is what we do," Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown said.

What is straw selling?

The three gun shops allegedly participated in what's known as straw selling, which is when a shop sells a firearm to a customer who is buying it for another person, who is likely not allowed to own a gun.

"Those transactions are illegal and gun shop owners have a responsibility to enforce the law," Brown said.

The stores are in Rockville and are federally licensed. Over seven months in 2021, the stores sold 34 semiautomatic pistols to Demetrius Minor who sold them to others. Minor was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for dealing firearms without a license.

According to the lawsuit, Minor was buying the guns for Donald Willis, who was living in Washington, D.C. with a record of violent felonies, which would prohibit him from purchasing his gun.

The lawsuit says there is no "plausible lawful explanation" for why Minor purchased that many firearms in such a short period. The attorneys general spoke outside of the federal court building in D.C. on Tuesday, saying that these gun shops prioritize profits over the law.

"It doesn't take a lot of common sense to figure out that someone trying to repeatedly buy the same semi-automatic handgun over a short period of time is a straw purchaser," Schwalb said.

Guns found at crime scenes

At least nine of the weapons purchased by Minor were found at crime scenes in Maryland and D.C, according to the lawsuit.

According to court documents, only 5.2% of guns recovered at crime scenes were possessed by the person who purchased the gun from a licensed dealer. The lawsuit also says 95% of firearms recovered in D.C. were originally purchased outside of the district.

"These are the illegal guns that are fueling the deadly, horrific gun violence that has wreaked havoc on so many of our neighbors and so many of our neighborhoods," Schwalb said.

Gun shops accused of negligence

The lawsuit, filed in Montgomery County Circuit Court, accuses the three stores of negligence and public nuisance.

This joint lawsuit by two attorneys general is the first of its kind, according to Everytown Law.

"This is the first time that two neighboring attorney generals have come together to bring a case like this, and we know how important that is, because gun trafficking does not stop at state lines," said Eric Tirschwell, chief litigation counsel for Everytown Law.

The lawsuit is asking for monetary and punitive damages, which can include restrictions on the stores or a complete shutdown of the facility.

The ATF has the final say if a store loses its federal license to sell firearms.