Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

SNYDER, Texas — A Midland man who committed a burglary of College Avenue Jewelry and Pawn in Snyder was sentenced to the statutory maximum 10 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.

Bradley Lynn Bishop, 46, was charged via criminal complaint in June 2023 and pleaded guilty to one count of theft of firearms from a Federal Firearms Licensee in September 2023. Mr. Bishop was sentenced today before U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix who made the statement at the hearing, “We have to bolt down everything in this courtroom, or you would steal it.”

“We are proud to have worked with the ATF on this case and will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to bring defendants who steal from Federal Firearms Licensees to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Simonton. “Solving burglaries and robberies of our Federal Firearm Licensee partners is at the top of ATF’s national priorities.”

“Mr. Bishop thought that he could act under the cover of darkness, in a company vehicle, and make a quick buck selling stolen guns. He was wrong. He was wrong again when he tried to run from officers. Snyder and the surrounding communities are safer with Mr. Bishop off the streets,” stated ATF Dallas Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey C. Boshek II.

According to court documents, on June 26, 2023, law enforcement responded to College Avenue Jewelry and Pawn in response to a burglary where 70 firearms were stolen from the business the previous day. During the investigation, law enforcement determined that the building appeared to have been breached by a hole cut in the wall. Once in the building the suspect unlocked and unlatched the rear door. The alarm sensors on the top of the rear exit door were also disabled and wires removed. A nearby business had a camera that faced the rear of the pawn shop and revealed a white Dodge pickup pulling into the back of the shop. The truck was observed coming and going from the business three separate times, an individual could be seen walking to and from the truck with a bag in their hand.

Law enforcement searched a local license plate reader system for a vehicle matching the Dodge truck and a match was found. The license plate was confirmed to be a company truck for Trend Services. The company was contacted, and they advised that the vehicle had GPS tracking and had been located near College Avenue Jewelry and Pawn on the night of the burglary. Trend Services also confirmed that Mr. Bishop was the driver assigned to that vehicle.

The day after the burglary, law enforcement went to the residence of Mr. Bishop. The Dodge pickup was parked behind the house, as agents approached the pickup, they observed the driver’s side door open and a pair of feet on the ground next to the door. Mr. Bishop fled the scene on foot and was taken into custody after a foot chase. A search of the truck revealed six of the firearms and an electrical meter stolen from the pawn shop.  

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Snyder Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Rancourt prosecuted the case.