A North Las Vegas man has been sentenced to 32 months in prison for illegally buying and selling over 200 firearms without a Federal Firearms License.
Charles Martin Ellis, 69, pleaded guilty to one count of engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license and one count of the transfer or sale of a firearm to a non-resident in January 2023.
According to court documents and admissions made in court, Ellis bought and resold multiple firearms in 2017, including a Zastava 7.62mm caliber AK-47-style assault pistol, which was later used in a homicide in Guadalajara, Mexico.
In total, Ellis bought and quickly resold over 200 firearms without a Federal Firearms License. Some of the guns have been seized by law enforcement in California, Nevada, Oregon, and Mexico.
The case was investigated by the ATF, and Assistant United States Attorneys Ed Veronda and Nadia Ahmed prosecuted the case.
United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Cicolani for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement.
Ellis’s sentence is a result of his guilty plea, and he will serve 32 months in prison. The case serves as a reminder of the dangers of unlicensed firearms sales and the importance of reporting suspicious activity to law enforcement.
Anyone with information about crimes that may be happening in your communities that involve firearms, explosives, arson, and violent crime can call ATF at 1-888-ATF-TIPS (1-888-283-8477), email ATFTips@atf.gov, or submit information anonymously at www.reportit.com.
Related Federal Cases
- Mark John Buschman, Firearms Smuggling, Wisconsin 2025 · New York
- Brian Scheckla, Firearms Trafficking, California 2023 · Idaho
- Anthony Gilstrap, Hazardous Waste & Gun Crime, Kansas 2024 · Kansas
- James Johnson, Investment Fraud, Nevada 2023 · California
- Nevada Woman Faces 40 Years for Cocaine Possession · New York
Key Facts
- State: Nevada
- Category: Weapons
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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