An Arizona gun dealer is facing terrorism charges in connection with a conspiracy to provide weapons to both Cartel Jalisco New Generation and the Sinaloa Cartel. Both Mexican cartels are designated as foreign terrorist organizations by the U.S. Department of State.
This week, the U.S. Department of Justice announced a superseding indictment claiming 65-year-old Lawrence “Larry” Gray provided material support to terrorist organizations by providing them with weapons. The indictment follows a prior indictment that federal prosecutors filed in 2025 against him and others in connection with the alleged sale of guns to cartel-connected individuals.
The new charges are part of an enhancement of various charges previously filed against Gray. The case began as an investigation into Arizona gun stores that were deemed as high risk after various of the weapons sold there were found in Mexico in a matter of days.
At the time, federal agents sent a “confidential informant” to purchase various weapons. A criminal complaint filed in the earlier part of the case revealed that the man purchased belt-fed rifles, 50. caliber rifles and high-end Colt 1911-type handguns, which are sought after by cartel members as a status symbol.
The complaint revealed that when the man made the purchases, he asked Gray and 73-year-old Barret Weinberger for the nearest port of entry into Mexico. The document revealed that they directed him to a nearby crossing that leads to Agua Prieta, Sonora.
Court documents revealed that at the time of the initial arrest, authorities charged Gray and Weinberger with several counts of aiding the straw purchasing of firearms and various weapons trafficking offenses. While Gray fought the charges and most recently pleaded not guilty to the new indictment, Weinberger pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.
Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart News Foundation. He co-founded Breitbart News Foundation’s Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and senior Breitbart management. You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook. He can be contacted at [email protected].
Brandon Darby is the managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart News Foundation’s Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and senior Breitbart management. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He can be contacted at [email protected].
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