Federal prosecutors sue Maryland gun shops for ‘obvious’ straw purchases

( NewsNation ) — Prosecutors filed a lawsuit Tuesday against three federally licensed Maryland gun stores that sold to a straw purchaser saying the shops are to blame for the majority of weapons used in crimes in the nation’s capital.

Maryland’s attorney general and the U.S. attorney in Washington, D.C., filed a lawsuit against gun shops Engage Armament, United Gun Shop and Atlantic Guns for selling firearms to a straw purchaser who then sold dozens of weapons to a violent felon, according to court records.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives defines a straw purchase as buying a firearm for someone who is prohibited by law from possessing one, or for someone who doesn’t want their name associated with it.

The suit accuses the Maryland-based stores of failing to respond to warning signs, including bulk purchasing and repetitive purchases.

The stores were the “top three in-state retailers of traced crime guns recovered in the State between August 2020 and July 2021,” the lawsuit stated.

“Gun dealers who flout their legal responsibilities and fail to adhere to responsible business practices are also to blame for putting firearms in the wrong hands, providing easy access to guns and fueling gun violence in the region,” the lawsuit stated.

The suit alleged that the shops together sold 34 semiautomatic pistols to an “obvious straw purchaser,” in a six-month span who then transferred most of those weapons to a relative with a record of violent felonies.

The purchaser spent more than $31,000 at the one store for at least 25 guns. In July 2021 alone, he came to the store at least four times and bought five guns, prosecutors said.

Only two of the weapons remained with the purchaser and at least nine of those have since been recovered at crime scenes including from people accused of assault and drug distribution, the suit alleged.

Prosecutors said the rest are presumed to be trafficked, the lawsuit stated.

The suit seeks unspecified damages and court action to halt any future straw purchases.

The lawsuit is the first to be filed jointly and comes as cities and states around the country file civil suits against gun shops, including in New Jersey, Minnesota, Chicago and Philadelphia. Kansas City also settled a suit last year against a gun dealer accused of ignoring evidence that guns were being sold illegally.

“Federally licensed gun dealers know the law and they know what to look for to spot possible illegal trafficking. As this lawsuit demonstrates, gun dealers cannot just choose to ignore these warning signs and guardrails,” Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown said in a statement.

“Let this be a warning to other dealers who put public safety at risk to make a profit: We are watching, and we will hold you accountable for illegal conduct that fuels gun violence across our region.”

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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