Overview
- Prosecutors in the District of Arizona filed a superseding indictment charging Laurence Gray, 65, with attempting and conspiring to provide weapons to CJNG and the Sinaloa cartel, and the case is ongoing.
- The new counts allege material support to a foreign terrorist group, a charge that can bring up to 20 years in prison and $250,000 in fines per count.
- Filings say Gray, the owner of Grips By Larry in Hereford, tried to supply CJNG in May 2025 and faced earlier counts for straw purchases and false statements tied to 2025 gun sales.
- The prosecution is part of the Justice Department’s Operation Take Back America, which uses counterterrorism powers to target suppliers and seize assets linked to cartel pipelines.
- The upgrade follows President Donald Trump’s February 2025 designation of CJNG and Sinaloa as foreign terrorist organizations, which enabled broader investigations and tougher penalties.