Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

DAYTON – James A. Mayhugh, Jr., 61, of Springfield, Ohio, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to crimes related to falsifying firearms sales records for more than 200 firearm sales. Mayhugh lied in his records concerning the identity of the purchaser and then actually sold the firearms to unknown individuals on the black market.

Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Jonathan McPherson, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), announced the plea entered into before U.S. District Judge Walter H. Rice.

Mayhugh owned and operated Jim’s Sports in Springfield. According to court documents, ATF Industry Operation Investigators (IOI) noticed unusual trends in Mayhugh’s sales records. Identical firearm sales to an identical group of individuals had been recorded between 2008 and 2018. Also, while federal law required the purported purchaser to personally complete and sign forms before acquiring a firearm, each document instead bore Mayhugh’s handwriting.

While further reviewing Mayhugh’s records, ATF IOIs discovered one customer had died in 2014, even though Mayhugh’s records reflected gun purchases as recently as early 2018. Other customers had actually purchased from Mayhugh on one occasion 15 to 20 years ago, but records showed repeated buys in recent years.

Subsequent to a court-authorized search, agents discovered documents reflecting more than 200 firearm sales to fictitious customers.

Mayhugh pleaded guilty to willfully violating federal requirements to provide the name, age and address of firearms purchasers. This crime is punishable by up to five years in prison.

Mayhugh also agreed to surrender his federal firearms license and no longer operates a business.

U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by ATF and Assistant United States Attorney Brent G. Tabacchi, who is representing the United States in this case.

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