Haskell Teen Cuffed for Stealing Guns from Checotah Pawn Shop

Luis Cruiz Rodriguez, 18, of Haskell, Oklahoma, is headed to federal prison after being sentenced to 20 months for stealing firearms from a licensed dealer. The theft occurred at Richy’s Gun & Pawn in Checotah, a federal firearms licensee, on or about May 12, 2016. Rodriguez pleaded guilty to the felony charge of stealing firearms from a federally licensed dealer, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 924(m) and 2.

The indictment unsealed in the Eastern District of Oklahoma laid bare the brazen nature of the crime: Rodriguez knowingly stole multiple guns from the pawn shop, striking within the jurisdiction of one of the busiest federal prosecution zones for violent gun offenses. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, which prosecuted the case, emphasized that thefts from licensed dealers directly feed the underground firearm market.

A multi-agency investigation cracked the case wide open. The Okmulgee Police Department, Checotah Police Department, Okmulgee Sheriff’s Office, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives all played critical roles in tracking down evidence and building the federal case. The collaboration underscored the seriousness with which law enforcement treats breaches of federal firearm regulations.

At sentencing, U.S. District Judge Ronald A. White, presiding in Muskogee, handed down the 20-month prison term followed by three years of supervised release. Rodriguez will remain in custody pending transfer to a designated federal facility where he will serve his nonparoleable sentence. No early release—just hard time.

Assistant United States Attorney Dean Burris, who prosecuted the case for the federal government, reiterated that stealing from a licensed dealer isn’t a petty crime—it’s a direct threat to public safety. Each stolen firearm has the potential to show up at a robbery, a shooting, or cross state lines into the hands of violent criminals.

Rodriguez’s conviction serves as a stark warning: federal gun laws are enforced with zero tolerance. Whether it’s a pawn shop heist or a straw purchase, the DOJ and ATF are watching. And when guns go missing from licensed dealers, someone will pay—like Luis Cruiz Rodriguez just did.