The owner of Grips By Larry, a former federal firearms licensee in Arizona, was indicted last week on charges of attempting and conspiring to provide material support to two Mexican cartels designated as foreign terrorist organizations. The indictment against Laurence Gray, 65, of Hereford, Arizona, was returned by a federal grand jury in Phoenix on March 17 and announced on Mar. 25.
The case centers around allegations that Gray tried to supply firearms to Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG) and conspired to provide weapons to both CJNG and the Cartel de Sinaloa (CDS) in 2025. Both groups were designated as foreign terrorist organizations by the U.S. Secretary of State in February 2025.
Gray was previously indicted alongside Barrett Weinberger, 73, of Tucson, Arizona, for offenses related to firearms trafficking. The original charges included trafficking in firearms, aiding and abetting straw purchases of firearms, and making false statements during firearm purchases. The latest superseding indictment adds terrorism-related charges against Gray.
If convicted of conspiracy or attempting to provide material support to a designated terrorist organization, Gray faces up to 20 years in prison and fines up to $250,000 per count. Additional convictions for other firearms-related offenses could add further penalties ranging from ten to fifteen years each with similar fines.
This prosecution is part of Operation Take Back America—a Department of Justice initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration and dismantling transnational criminal organizations through coordinated efforts with agencies such as the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives led the investigation; Assistant U.S. Attorney Marcus Shand is prosecuting the case.
Authorities emphasize that an indictment is not evidence of guilt: all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
