Nicholas J. Ganjei United States Attorney for the Southern District of Texas | U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas
A 53-year-old resident of Humble, Texas, Yashab Idnan Sandhu, has been sentenced to 42 months in federal prison following a guilty plea for providing false information on firearms records. After his release, he will serve three years of supervised release. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei and imposed by U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen.
The case stemmed from a March 2020 discovery at a Port of Houston warehouse where authorities intercepted a shipment of approximately 473 handguns intended for Iraq. Of these, 38 were pistols with obliterated serial numbers, traced back to R’s Golf & Guns, where Sandhu was a responsible person, empowered to make firearm compliance decisions.
U.S. Attorney Ganjei remarked on the collaboration between the Southern District of Texas and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in preventing the illegal shipment. “The Southern District of Texas is pleased to have worked with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to have intercepted this shipment of guns before they reached Iraq, and used for whatever unknown purpose,” he stated.
Special Agent in Charge Michael Weddel of ATF Houston emphasized the duty of responsible gun dealers to public safety, stating, “Being a responsible gun dealer is not just a matter of business; it’s a fundamental duty to safeguard public safety and uphold the trust placed in our agency by the American people.” He added that violations by Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs) undermine public trust and affirmed the ATF's commitment to public safety.
Investigations revealed Sandhu sold the firearms to a suspected smuggler, later falsifying records to cover the transactions. Following the court's decision, Sandhu will voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
The investigation involved collaboration between the ATF, the FBI, and the Bureau of Industry and Security. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven Schammel and Heather Winter.
