A Butler firearms dealer has pleaded guilty to federal charges that he failed to keep records of gun transactions.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Pittsburgh said Grant Williams, 61, entered the plea this weekbefore Chief United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak to five counts of failure to make entry in a record by a federal firearms dealer.
Prosecutors said Williams had a license to sell firearms from his business, Sportsman’s Supply Company, in Butler. They said he was required to maintain records on guns he obtained and sold and was required when selling to record a description of the gun and information on the buyer.
According to a news release, in April 2022, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives “attempted a firearm trace of a firearm sold by Williams that had been used in a crime. Because Williams’ acquisition and disposition books did not record the disposition of that firearm, the trace was unresolved. Due to a subsequent unresolved firearm trace, the ATF conducted an audit of Williams’ records between May and August 2022. The audit revealed that 2,636 firearm acquisitions were neither in Williams’ possession nor recorded in his disposition records.”
The press release noted that Williams’ annual firearm sales grew to about 50,000 per year during the COVID-19 pandemic using the online auction firm GunBroker.com and he was required to record them all.
Williams was released on bond pending sentencing.
First Published: March 1, 2023, 3:58 p.m.