Asheville Man Sentenced for Illegal Gun Sales

Conley Dale Patterson, 72, of Asheville, North Carolina, was sentenced to 48 months in federal prison for dealing in firearms without a license, marking the end of a years-long operation that flooded the streets with untraceable weapons. U.S. District Judge Martin Reidinger handed down the sentence yesterday, also ordering Patterson to serve three years of court supervision and pay $2,300 in restitution.

Patterson, owner of the so-called “Asheville Combat Zone” at 1472 Patton Avenue, used his military surplus shop as a front to illegally traffic guns between July 2009 and October 2014. Despite repeated warnings from law enforcement that he could not sell firearms without a Federal Firearms License (FFL), Patterson ignored the rules and kept dealing. Court records show he sold multiple weapons—including to convicted felons—while operating outside the law.

The operation unraveled after a federal investigation led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division. Agents recovered at least 10 firearms from Patterson’s store: seven rifles, two shotguns, and one pistol. Each weapon sold without a license represents a bypassed background check, a potential threat to public safety, and another failure of the gun control system.

Patterson pleaded guilty in August 2016 to one count of dealing in firearms without a license—a felony that carries stiff penalties under federal law. He will report to the Federal Bureau of Prisons once a facility is designated. As with all federal sentences, there will be no parole. The man who claimed to cater to survivalists and collectors now faces years behind bars for profiting off dangerous loopholes.

U.S. Attorney Jill Westmoreland Rose, who prosecuted the case through the Western District of North Carolina, emphasized that illegal gun dealers erode community trust and enable violence. “This sentence sends a clear message,” Rose said in a statement. “You cannot operate as a shadow gun dealer and expect to avoid consequences.”

The ATF and U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville led the investigation and prosecution. Authorities say they remain vigilant against unlicensed firearms trafficking, especially in commercial settings disguised as surplus or collectible shops. For now, the Asheville Combat Zone is silent—its owner headed to federal prison for playing dealer without a license.

RELATED: Ex-Navy Recruiter Johnson Gets 17 Years for Child Exploitation