Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

NEW ORLEANS — Richard Ludwig II, 74, of Independence, was sentenced on Jan. 9 by U.S. District Judge Greg G. Guidry, after previously pleading guilty to three counts of dealing a firearm without a license, to 36 months of probation, 12 months of home incarceration, a $5000 fine and a mandatory $300 special assessment fee.

Counts 1 through 3 charged Ludwig with dealing in firearms without a license, in violation of Title 18, U.S. Code, Sections 922(a)(1)(A) and 924(a)(1)(D).

According to court records, in December 2020, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Agents began investigating Ludwig for selling firearms without a license. Ludwig operated Tickfaw Guns, in Independence, and maintained a website advertising himself as a duly licensed Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL). In reality, Ludwig failed to renew his federal license to sell firearms. ATF agents also received information that Ludwig sold guns to persons prohibited from possessing such, and that some of these guns had been recovered from various crime scenes.

During their investigation, ATF agents witnessed Ludwig selling firearms at a gun show in Mississippi on Aug. 21, 2021. Ludwig admitted to the agents that he had 400 guns to sell. Subsequently, in October 2021, undercover ATF agents purchased firearms and ammunition from Ludwig twice.

On Dec. 01, 2021, ATF executed a search warrant for Ludwig's gun shop and seized 237 firearms, consisting of handguns, long guns, shotguns, $21,476, cellphones, computers and assorted financial documents. Agents also seized financial documents from Ludwig’s bank account. The $21,476 represented Ludwig's profit from unlicensed firearms sales. Ludwig used the seized computers and financial documents, to maintain his illegal gun selling operation.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results.

The case was investigated by ATF and the New Orleans Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Trummel of the Violent Crime Unit.

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