Overview
- Montemayor pleaded guilty this week to aiding and abetting a false statement during the purchase of a firearm and to failing to file required currency reports, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
- Federal filings say he ran AV AZ Firearms in north Phoenix from January 2022 through May 2024 and transferred at least 72 firearms to other people after arranging false purchase attestations.
- Prosecutors cite a May 22, 2024 incident in which Montemayor showed a buyer how to fill out federal purchase forms, directed the buyer to falsely claim they were the true purchaser, and then gave the gun to a third person.
- Investigators say Montemayor failed to file reports for 15 cash sales between Feb. 23, 2024, and May 14, 2024, totaling more than $258,000 in proceeds, violations that trigger separate federal currency reporting rules.
- Sentencing is set for Aug. 17, and Montemayor faces up to 15 years in prison and up to $750,000 in fines; prosecutors say the case highlights how dealer misconduct can hinder tracing and help supply illegal firearm markets.