A Cypress resident, Nicah Anderson, has been sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for aiding and abetting the illegal dealing of firearms without a license. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani following Anderson's guilty plea on August 9.
U.S. District Judge Keith Ellison also ordered that Anderson serve one year of supervised release after his prison term. "Anderson selfishly prioritized his profits over public safety," stated Hamdani, emphasizing the court's decision to hold him accountable for his actions and to reclaim his unlawful earnings.
Michael Weddel, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), highlighted the dangers posed by illegal firearms trafficking. He stressed the importance of holding accountable those who breach trust as licensed gun dealers.
Anderson was previously a federal firearms licensee and operated NE Guns. Between December 2022 and March 2023, he allowed straw purchases of various firearms, including military-grade sniper rifles and pistols favored by Mexican drug cartels.
A search warrant executed at NE Guns on July 19, 2023, led to the seizure of numerous firearms, ammunition rounds, silencers, and business records. Investigations revealed that NE Guns received $115,000 from suspected straw purchasers between October 2022 and August 2023.
In connection with this case, Imran Ali from Spring; Averyl Pereyra from Houston; and Ammar Ali from Spring admitted to conspiracy charges related to straw purchasing firearms. Their plea agreements disclosed that Imran Ali orchestrated firearm purchases through Pereyra and Ammar Ali due to his prohibition from buying guns himself. This operation resulted in substantial profits totaling $97,700.
The group purchased a total of 60 firearms; six were later found at crime scenes in Mexico. Sentencing for these individuals is scheduled for February 11, 2025, where they each face up to five years in federal prison while remaining on bond until then.
Anderson will remain on bond until he surrenders voluntarily to a designated U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
The ATF conducted the investigation with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kate Suh and John Ganz prosecuting the case.