Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

ATLANTA - Dawn Anderson, a/k/a “Prestige,” a federally licensed firearms dealer in Atlanta, doing business as Distincvision, LLC, a/k/a “Liquidation Outlet Center,” was sentenced today for making false entries in the records required to be kept by federal firearms dealers. Shawn Lewis, an employee at LOC and co-defendant, was previously sentenced for his role in the offense.

“This firearms dealer and her company made it possible for criminals to obtain dangerous weapons by allowing felons to buy firearms through straw purchasers,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “Federal firearms dealers who violate the law and endanger our communities by enabling straw purchasers to unlawfully obtain guns for criminals will be prosecuted, lose their federal firearms licenses, and businesses.”

“Many gun dealers are law abiding business owners and members of our community. They work hard to build success, promote commerce and support our rights. However, when a gun dealer chooses to ignore our laws and regulations and decides to provide guns to prohibited individuals it places our entire community in harm’s way,” said Special Agent in Charge Arthur Peralta. “This sentence should serve as notice to those individuals who choose to circumvent federal and local laws for personal gain.”

According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges and other information presented in court: Dawn Anderson, a/k/a “Prestige,” obtained a federal firearms dealer license on August 14, 2013, under the name Distincvision, LLC, d/b/a Liquidation Outlet Center (“LOC”). LOC was located in the Greenbriar Discount Mall in Atlanta. As the holder of a federal firearms license, Anderson was required to maintain a record, in the form of a completed ATF Form 4473, that included the actual buyer’s name, home address and date of birth. The instructions on the Form 4473 warn that “any person who transfers a firearm to any person he/she knows or has reasonable cause to believe is prohibited from receiving or possessing a firearm violates the law, even if the transferor/seller has complied with the federal background check requirements.”  The instructions also warned that the “seller of a firearm must determine the lawfulness of the transaction and maintain proper records of the transactions.”   

ATF agents began investigating LOC after receiving information that felons were able to obtain firearms from LOC after informing Anderson or store employees, including co-defendant Shawn Lewis, that they were convicted felons. LOC employees circumvented the federal requirements for gun sales by illegally allowing straw purchasers to buy the firearms.

During the course of the investigation, ATF agents learned that on June 30, 2016, a convicted felon purchased a .40 caliber firearm from LOC after the felon told store clerks about his criminal history. The LOC clerks allowed the felon’s female companion to purchase the firearm as a straw purchaser. On August 4, 2016, a convicted felon failed a background check, but a LOC store clerk allowed him to purchase a 9mm pistol using his female companion as the straw purchaser. On December 2, 2016, Dawn Anderson sold a 9mm pistol to a convicted felon. After the felon failed a background check, Anderson allowed the felon’s female companion to purchase the firearm for him.

On May 15, 2017, ATF agents executed a search warrant at LOC. The agents seized 280 firearms and more than 69,000 rounds of ammunition during the search. Anderson forfeited all of the seized firearms and ammunition and LOC was forced to close.

From November 25, 2014 through February 11, 2018, investigators recovered more than 180 firearms purchased from LOC from crime scenes in multiple states, including Georgia, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Washington, DC, Alabama, Arizona, Florida, California, Tennessee, Ohio, Illinois, North Carolina and South Carolina. 

Dawn Anderson, a/k/a “Prestige,” 51, of Atlanta, Georgia has been sentenced to one year of probation and 40 hours of community service. Anderson pleaded guilty knowingly making false entries in the records required to be kept by a federal firearms dealer on February 14, 2018.

Shawn Lewis, 46, of Atlanta, Georgia was previously sentenced to six months of probation and 40 hours of community service on April 19, 2018. Lewis pleaded guilty to knowingly making false entries in the records required to be kept by a federal firearms dealer on January 29, 2018.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine M. Hoffer and Jolee Porter prosecuted the case.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov (link sends email) or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

###