St. Louis, MO - Matthew Burkett, 47, of Scottsdale, Arizona, was sentenced today to one year and one day for defrauding investors and customers of Predator Tactical, LLC, his firearms manufacturing business. Burkett was also ordered to pay $576.100.48 restitution in total to various individuals and businesses. Burkett appeared before U.S. District Judge Henry Autrey.
According to court documents, Burkett owned and operated Predator Tactical, LLC, a business involved in the manufacturing of custom, high-end firearms which was established in 2010 and located in Tempe, Arizona. Burkett advertised his business across the United States. Pursuant to those efforts, Burkett, representing Predator Tactical, LLC, attended the NRA gun show in St. Louis, Missouri in April 2012. At the show, Burkett advertised and marketed Predator Tactical, LLC products. An individual (referred to here as P.S.) became a customer of Predator Tactical, LLC due to interactions with Burkett at that show.
On July 21, 2012, Burkett met with P.S. again in St. Louis for the purpose of discussing an investment of $50,000 to be paid by P.S. to Predator Tactical, LLC as an investment option, or alternatively as a deposit for future firearm purchases. On July 25, 2012, that agreement was ratified and P.S. caused his bank to wire $50,000 from his account in St. Louis to Predator Tactical, LLC’s bank account in Arizona.
Burkett, contrary to agreement, fraudulently misappropriated that money for personal use. On December 4, 2012, P.S., declining to use the option to invest in Predator Tactical, LLC by the terms of the agreement, placed an order for firearm purchases previously paid for by the $50,000. Burkett and Predator Tactical, LLC however, did not deliver any of the firearms as promised.
This case was investigated by the St. Louis division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Assistant United States Attorney John Ware handled the case for the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
