Joseph John Deaser IV, Aggravated Identity Theft, California 2024

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Joseph John Deaser IV, 49, of Arizona, has confessed to a brazen scheme to skirt California’s strict gun laws, pleading guilty today to one count of aggravated identity theft and one count of illegally selling a firearm as a federally licensed dealer. The case, announced by U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott, reveals a calculated effort to profit from the sale of “non-roster” handguns – firearms not approved for public sale in the state.

California maintains a roster of approved firearms, and licensed dealers are required to ensure any handgun they sell is on that list. A loophole exists allowing sales of non-roster firearms to sworn peace officers. These officers can then legally sell those guns to the public through a licensed dealer. Deaser, owner and operator of the members-only Capital Gun Club in Roseville, exploited this exemption, turning it into a criminal enterprise.

Between December 2014 and April 2018, court documents show Deaser conducted straw purchases of new non-roster firearms, using the names and personal information of peace officers obtained during legitimate transactions. He falsely reported these sales as if they were to the officers themselves, effectively registering the guns to them. These firearms were then quickly sold to members of the public, including Deaser himself, bypassing California’s regulations.

The deception went further. Deaser completed and signed federal and state firearm transaction forms for the officers, using their identities as the purchasers. In a particularly audacious move, he routinely placed his own middle finger print on the forms in the space designated for the “Purchaser’s Right Thumb Print.” The scope of the fraud is significant: Deaser used the identities of six law enforcement officers to acquire approximately 50 non-roster handguns.

The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) led the investigation, with assistance from the California Department of Justice’s Bureau of Firearms. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael D. Anderson and Shelley D. Weger are prosecuting the case. Deaser is scheduled to appear before U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley on August 22 for sentencing.

Deaser faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the illegal firearm sale. Aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory two-year prison term that will be served consecutive to any other sentence imposed. However, the final sentence will be determined by the judge, considering statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. This case serves as a stark reminder that those who attempt to circumvent gun laws, even with a veneer of legality, will be held accountable.