Kent Gun Shop Owner, Step-Son Nabbed in Drug & Gun Ring

KENT, WA – A father and son duo are facing the music after a federal indictment unsealed this morning revealed a brazen scheme involving the illegal distribution of prescription narcotics and the unlawful sale of firearms. MARK E. BRYANT, 49, of Kent, Washington, and his step-son, ANDREW GAGLEY, 30, were arrested and are expected to appear in U.S. District Court in Seattle today at 1:30 PM.

According to the indictment, announced by U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan, BRYANT and GAGLEY allegedly peddled Demerol. BRYANT faces four additional counts related to distributing oxycontin, hydrocodone, and morphine on three separate days in September and October of 2012. The charges don’t stop there: BRYANT is also accused of knowingly selling a firearm to a known drug user – a clear violation of federal law.

The feds say GAGLEY upped the ante, allegedly selling a Colt .556 caliber, semi-automatic rifle on October 26, 2012, to an individual working with law enforcement. The buyer, authorities claim, was both an illegal alien and a convicted felon – making the sale a double-barreled federal offense. Just two days prior, on October 24, 2012, BRYANT allegedly offloaded a Firestar .45 pistol to someone he knew was a habitual drug user. As a Federal Firearms Licensee, BRYANT is legally obligated to meticulously document all gun sales and maintain accurate records of firearm acquisitions and transfers.

The operation allegedly unfolded at BRYANT’s businesses – Westside Guns and East Valley Auto Rebuild, both located on South 222nd Street in Kent. Investigators say multiple illegal transactions occurred directly on the property of his gun shop, with GAGLEY actively participating in both drug and firearm sales. The brazenness of the alleged activity is raising eyebrows within law enforcement circles.

The arrests are the result of an eight-month investigation spearheaded by the South Sound Task Force, a multi-agency coalition including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Lakewood Police Department (LPD), the Washington State Liquor Control Board (WSLCB), and assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Air and Marine. This wasn’t a quick bust; it was a coordinated, long-term effort.

It’s important to remember that the charges contained in the indictment are merely allegations. Both BRYANT and GAGLEY are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. However, if convicted, each man faces up to twenty years in prison and three years of supervised release. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ye-Ting Woo. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case as it develops.