PHOENIX, Ariz. – In a shocking turn of events, Dwayne Keith Anderson, a 51-year-old Phoenix resident and owner of 602 Firearms Instruction L.L.C., was sentenced to six months in prison and three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm.
According to court documents, Anderson met Essa Williams at a gun show, where he agreed to assist Williams in purchasing a firearm by helping him avoid a background check. However, Williams had several felony convictions, rendering him ineligible to possess a firearm.
On December 13, 2021, Williams texted Anderson about purchasing a firearm and provided false information, including a photo of a female driver’s license. Anderson filled out the Firearms Transaction Record with the false information, despite knowing that the purchaser must fill out the form themselves.
Anderson sold Williams a Masterpiece Arms Defender 9mm pistol, using the false information provided by Williams. A search warrant executed by Phoenix PD detectives after the shooting of Officer Tyler Moldovan on December 14, 2021, revealed the Masterpiece Arms Defender 9mm pistol in Williams’ black Dodge Charger.
Williams is currently facing trial in Maricopa County Superior Court for allegedly shooting Officer Moldovan. The Masterpiece Arms Defender 9mm pistol was not the firearm used in the shooting.
United States Attorney Gary Restaino stated, ‘Federal firearms laws and regulations make America safer. These laws are designed to make it harder for drivers of violence in our communities to obtain guns. An FFL like Mr. Anderson who sells a firearm to a felon betrays the public trust and places his fellow citizens at risk.’
Brendan Iber, ATF Special Agent in Charge, added, ‘Federal Firearms Licensees are held to a high standard, and when they do not abide by these laws, it does a disservice to the community and to other law-abiding Federal Firearms Licensees.’
The case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent crime and making neighborhoods safer.
Defendant Information:
Defendant Name: Dwayne Keith Anderson
Criminal Charges: False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm, Aid and Abet
City and State: Phoenix, Arizona
Date: May 24, 2023
Sentence: Six months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release
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Key Facts
- State: Arizona
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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