Tommy Roger Dotson, Dealing Firearms Without a License, Virginia 2021

Defendant Sentenced for Illicit Firearms Sales in Southwest Virginia

A Dickenson County, Virginia man has been sentenced to six months in federal prison for illegally selling firearms without a license.

Tommy Roger Dotson, 65, pleaded guilty in March 2021 to one count of willfully engaging in the business of selling firearms without a license. As part of his plea, Dotson relinquished 59 seized firearms and more than $13,000 in cash.

According to court documents, in October 2019 the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) began an investigation of firearm sales at the Indian Mountain Trade Center to identify and monitor individuals who appeared to be in the business of dealing firearms without a Federal Firearms License (FFL).

Investigators with the ATF observed Dotson, and others, regularly selling firearms to Trade Center attendees. Dotson sold numerous firearms from a sales booth, where he regularly displayed 25 to 50 firearms for sale.

During the investigation, Dotson also instructed another unlicensed firearms dealer to lie to the ATF. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Virginia State Police investigated the case.

Assistant United States Attorneys Zachary T. Lee and Whit D. Pierce prosecuted the case for the United States. Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar made the announcement.

The sentence handed down to Dotson serves as a reminder of the serious consequences of engaging in illicit firearms sales. The community can rest assured that those who engage in such activities will be held accountable.

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