Police and ATF agents bust weapons cache at Mesa home

by Catherine Holland

azfamily.com
Posted on July 12, 2010 at 9:18 AM
Updated today at 8:18 PM

MESA, Ariz. -- Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms discovered a large cache of weapons after serving a search warrant at a Mesa home early Monday morning.

The warrant was based on a "federal firearms violation."

ATF agents said some 1,000 firearms that were being illegally dealt out of the home in the area of 84th Street (Hawes Road) and McDowell Road have been confiscated.

One person is in custody in the case.

According to agents, the weapons being dealt out of the Mesa home were connected to various crimes within days of being sold. One of the weapons reportedly was involved in a Phoenix drive-by shooting. Investigators said that "time to crime" means the suspect allegedly was not doing any kind of background checks on his customers.

The man is accused of selling firearms, including handguns, high-powered rifles and even some assault rifles, to anybody with the money to buy.

While a license is not required for private gun collectors to sell weapons, investigators said the suspect was restocking his weapons and continuing to sell despite not being a dealer.

The alleged dealer, whose name has not been released, is accused of selling guns in New Mexico and Nevada, as well as here in Arizona.

This morning's ATF operation is the culmination of an eight-month investigation that started when undercover officers purchased weapons from the suspect.

ATF agents and Maricopa County sheriff's deputies expected to be on the scene for several hours.

http://www.azfamily.com/news/local/A...-98246574.html

Steve