A Phoenix gun shop owner has admitted he helped customers hide who was really getting their guns, and skipped out on reporting big cash deals to the feds, prosecutors say.
Alejandro Montemayor, 33, pleaded guilty Tuesday to federal charges that he used his business, AV AZ Firearms, to arrange transfers that concealed the true recipients of firearms and to failing to report large cash transactions, according to prosecutors. Authorities say the conduct involved dozens of weapons and hundreds of thousands of dollars in unreported dealings, and Montemayor is set to be sentenced this summer. Prosecutors say the plea highlights a renewed federal push on dealer compliance and straw-purchase enforcement in Arizona.
As reported by KTAR News, Montemayor pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting a false statement during the purchase of a firearm and to failing to file a report related to currency, charges brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona. Prosecutors told KTAR those counts carry significant fines and possible prison time under federal law. Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 17, 2026, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Prosecutors, quoted by KTAR, allege Montemayor "facilitated the illegal purchase and transfer of at least 72 guns" and failed to file 15 Financial Crimes Enforcement Network reports covering more than $258,000 in transactions. Those missing filings allegedly involved deals over $10,000 that trigger mandatory reporting rules, according to court documents. The plea follows an investigation that dug through business records and cash-transaction paperwork tied to the shop.
How Investigators Say The Gun Pipeline Worked
Federal authorities say the scheme centered on straw purchases, where one person fills out the ATF Form 4473 claiming to be the actual buyer while the real recipient walks away with the gun. Investigators say Montemayor allowed or helped arrange those kinds of transfers and failed to submit required currency-reporting forms tied to business receipts, a combination that can hide trafficking activity from regulators.
Records show AV AZ Firearms held a Federal Firearms License and operated from early 2022 into mid-2024, according to Justice Department oversight filings. Official records filed with the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General note the FFL activity during the period in question, and business-registration listings place AV AZ Firearms at a north Phoenix address. See the Justice Department OIG release and FFL registry for the shop’s licensing details and listed location.
Arizona Crackdown Puts Dealers On Notice
The case lands in the middle of a run of federal actions this year aimed at suspected gun-trafficking networks and dealers in Arizona. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Phoenix has brought multiple indictments and complaints tied to alleged straw-purchase schemes and trafficking, reflecting a focus on cutting off weapons flows that investigators say can end up across the border. Federal prosecutors say holding noncompliant dealers accountable is a key part of that strategy.
Legal outcomes in cases like Montemayor’s usually hinge on whether the government can prove a dealer knowingly helped customers make false statements or willfully skipped legally required reports. Those findings drive sentencing recommendations and potential fines. Montemayor now faces the penalties attached to the charges he admitted, and will learn his fate at the August hearing set by the court.
