Arizona FFL Charged With Terrorism Offenses for Allegedly Aiding Drug Cartels

An Arizona gun dealer has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Phoenix for allegedly helping two Mexican drug cartels arm themselves. Laurence Gray was originally indicted last year on charges related to gun trafficking, but the grand jury added a couple of additional charges this week: Attempting to Provide Material Support to a Foreign Terrorist Organization and Conspiracy to Provide Support to a Designated Foreign Terrorist Organization.

Gray is accused of knowingly attempting to provide firearms to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel as well as knowingly conspired to provide firearms to both Jalisco New Generation cartel and the Sinaloa cartel in 2025. From a DOJ press release:

Gray, the owner of Grips by Larry, a federally licensed firearms dealer in Arizona, was previously indicted for firearms trafficking offenses in 2025, alongside a second individual, Barrett Weinberger, 73, of Tucson, Arizona. The original charges against both men included trafficking in firearms, aiding and abetting the straw purchasing of firearms, and aiding and abetting material false statements during the purchase of a firearm. In addition to more firearms charges, last week’s superseding indictment added material support to terrorism charges against Gray.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marcus Shand, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.

If the government’s allegations are correct, and Gray and Weinberger were indeed knowingly helping to arm these cartels then they should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. I have to say, though, that I’m automatically a little wary of any investigation led by the Phoenix field office of the ATF. That was the same office that brought us Operation Fast and Furious, where the ATF and DOJ knowingly allowed guns to be trafficked to cartels, and in some cases directed FFLs to proceed with sales over the objections and concerns of gun dealers. 

Most, if not all, of the personnel involved in that scandal are no longer working in the Phoenix field office, and maybe its unfair of me to still view the office with some suspicion. Still, when I see the phrase “ATF sting”, there’s a part of me that wonders if we’re getting the full story. 

During two purchases, Gray, Weinberger — and a third man, David Prince — allegedly sold two .38-caliber pistols, a .50-caliber rifle, two M249S belt-fed rifles, and an Ohio Ordnance M2 SLR .50-caliber belt-fed rifle. 

This is the first case in Arizona with these charges since the Trump administration declared Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations on Jan. 20, 2025. Under the Biden administration, prosecutors regularly pursued cases against people buying and smuggling weapons into Mexico.

Gray could receive 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, while Weinberger could receive up to 15 years in prison.

Meanwhile, Prince was charged separately, and he successfully entered a plea agreement on March 17 for aiding and abetting by allowing another person to make a false statement while purchasing a firearm on May 31, 2025. Prince will be sentenced in June.

… As part of their investigation, the ATF sent a confidential informant to purchase three weapons for $42,500, including the .50-cal sniper rifle and two belt-fed M249S rifles on April 14, 2025. The CI already purchased a .38-caliber 1911-style pistol from the men, Cauble said. 

As part of the sting, the CI allegedly asked Gray and Prince for the nearest border crossing, and both men replied Agua Prieta, the Mexican town just south of Douglas, Ariz., about 50 minutes away.

According to court documents, the informant went back tot he gun store about six weeks later, this time accompanied by an undercover ATF agent. The pair purchased the Ohio Ordnance rifle as well as another 1911. The DOJ alleges that Gray allowed the ATF agent tot fill out the paperwork for the rifle, while the informant actually told Prince that the guns would be crossing the border and were headed for the Jalisco New Generation cartel. 

If that’s true, then the feds have a pretty open and shut case here. The investigation also demonstrates that the gun control lobby is flat our wrong in asserting that cuts to the ATF budget and assigning some agents to assist ICE in immigration enforcement efforts are crippling the agency’s ability to go after gun traffickers. It looks like the agency has plenty of manpower to investigate suspicious sales, and to go after any FFL who might be turning a blind eye and ignoring blatant red flags during these transactions. 

Editor’s Note: The mainstream media continues to lie about gun owners and the Second Amendment. 

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