Dick's Sporting Goods, Inc. v. Boydston

143 F. Supp. 3d 732, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 144808, 2015 WL 6458215
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Tennessee
DecidedOctober 26, 2015
DocketNo. 2:14-cv-02360-JMP-dkv
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 143 F. Supp. 3d 732 (Dick's Sporting Goods, Inc. v. Boydston) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Tennessee primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Dick's Sporting Goods, Inc. v. Boydston, 143 F. Supp. 3d 732, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 144808, 2015 WL 6458215 (W.D. Tenn. 2015).

Opinion

OPINION AND ORDER FOLLOWING NON-JURY TRIAL

JON P. McCALLA, District Judge.

Petitioner Dick’s Sporting Goods, Inc. (“Petitioner” or “Dick’s”) brings this action against Kevin Boydston, Director of Industry Operatives, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, (“Respondent” or “ATF”) pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 923(f)(3), for judicial review of the revocation of a federal license as a dealer in firearms other than destructive devices. (Pet. for Judicial Review ¶ 1, ECF No. 1.)

The Court held a bench trial in this case on June 1, 2015. (ECF No. 67.) Petitioner was represented by John Gibbons and Thomas Parker. Respondent was represented by David Brackstone. Petitioner called the following witnesses: Kevin Dodson, Laura Brady, and Matthew Krueger. (Ex. List, ECF No. 68.) Respondent called no witnesses. (Id.)

For the reasons set forth below, the Court finds that the decision to revoke Petitioner’s Federal Firearms License (“FFL”) was not authorized and the decision is reversed.

I.FINDINGS OF FACT

A. Stipulated Facts

Below are the stipulated facts from the Joint Pretrial Order:

1. Dick’s is a national retailer that sells firearms, among other items, in hundreds of stores across the country. Dick’s principal place of business is 345 Court Street, Corapolis, Pennsylvania 15108. Dick’s Store # 375, located at 2393 North Germantown Parkway, Memphis, TN 38016, has been a federally licensed firearms dealer since 2007. [Petition]
2. Respondent Kevin Boydston (“ATF”) is ATF’s Director of Industry Operations, Nashville Field Division, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. [Petition]
3. On November 6, 2012, Jason Wayne Brady[ ] went to Store # 375 and tried to purchase a Mossberg Maverick 12 gauge shotgun, serial number MV84994S (the “Shotgun”). Dick’s Sales Associate, Matthew Kru[e]ger, assisted Mr. Brady during this attempted transaction. After the required information was recorded on Sections A and B of ATF Form 4473, showing in part that Mr. Brady resided at 70 Grove Dale Street, Memphis, Tennessee 38120, Mr. Krueger initiated the required Tennessee Instant Check System (“TICS”) prohibited person background inquiry for Mr. Brady. When Mr. Krueger received a “Pending” response from TICS, the transaction was terminated and the Shotgun was not delivered to Mr. Brady. [ATF Findings ¶¶ 8-11]
4. A “Firearm Sign-Off Sheet” or “Denied/Delay Log” is a Dick’s internal control document that is not required by the [Gun Control Act] or its regulations. Store # 375 uses it to record the name of any person that received a “Denied” or “Delayed” response to a [National Instant Check System (“NICS”) ]/TICS inquiry. On November 6, 2012, Mr. Krueger failed to enter Mr. Brady’s name on Store # 375’s “Denied/Delay Log” as required by Dick’s internal policy. [ATF Findings ¶¶ 8-11]
5. That same day, approximately eight to nine hours later, Laura Carolyn Brady, who also then resided at 70 Grove Dale Street, Memphis, Tennessee 38120, went to Store # 375 and sought to purchase a Mossberg Maverick 12 gauge shotgun. Mr. Krueger [734]*734was the Sales Associate who assisted Mrs. Brady. After Mrs. Brady recorded the required information on Sections A and B of ATF Form 4473, showing in part that she resided at 70 Grove Dale Street, Memphis, Tennessee 38120, Mr. Krueger initiated the TICS inquiry for Mrs. Brady and when an “Approved” response was received, the transaction was completed and the Shotgun was delivered to Mrs. Brady. [ATF Findings ¶¶ 8-11]
6. According to Dick’s internal policy, prior to conducting the sale of any firearm, an employee at Store # 375 is required to check the “Denied/Delay Log” to see if there are any similarities suggesting a straw purchase involving the current purchaser with any past attempts by someone who received a “Delay or Denial” NICS/ TICS response. Mr. Krueger designated by his signature that he had reviewed Dick’s Delay/Denied Log for a possible “straw purchase” before delivering the Mossberg Shotgun to Mrs. Brady. [ATF Findings ¶¶ 8-11]
7. Laura Carolyn Brady and Jason Wayne Brady are husband and wife and in November 2012, they resided together at 70 Grove Dale Street, Memphis, Tennessee 38120. The Shotgun that was delivered to Mrs. Brady was the same shotgun that Mr. Brady attempted to purchase earlier that same day. [ATF Findings ¶¶ 8-11]
8. From June 11, 2013, through June 14, 2013, Industry Operations Investigator (“IOI”) Thomas Williams conducted ATF’s first compliance inspection of Store # 375’s inventory of firearms at its licensed premises and the records and documents required to be kept by the Gun Control Act of 1968 (the “GCA”), as amended, Title 18, United States Code, Chapter 44, and the regulations thereunder, for the purpose of determining compliance with the GCA’s requirements and regulations. [ATF Findings ¶ 7]
9. IOI Williams’ inspection disclosed Mr. Brady’s November 6, 2012, attempted purchase and Mrs. Brady’s November 6, 2012 purchase of the Shotgun. Based upon the fact that: (a) Mr. Krueger was involved in both of the Bradys’ attempts to purchase, (b) the firearm was the same, (c) the Bradys shared the same last name and the same address, and (d) there were only three intervening gun sale transactions, IOI Williams concluded that the firearm was transferred to Mr. Brady as the actual buyer and that Mr. Brady was a person whom Mr. Krueger knew or had reasonable cause to believe was prohibited from possessing a firearm. IOI Williams therefore concluded that Dick’s Store # 375’s records of the purchaser’s name in the Acquisition and Disposition Record (“A & D Record”) and on ATF Form 4473 were false. [ATF Findings ¶¶ 8-10]
10. IOI Williams did not interview Mr. Krueger as part of his inspection and' he never attempted to speak to either Mr. or Mrs. Brady. (Tr. At 42^4.)
11. On June 18, 2013, IOI Williams issued a Report of Violations to Store # 375 citing two GCA regulations related to Laura Brady’s purchase. These violations were: (a) “Failure to enter the true identity of a buyer into the A & D Record (by entering a straw purchaser into the record[) ]” in violation of 27 CFR [§ ]478.128(e); and “Failure to stop the transfer of a firearm to a person while knowing or having reasonable cause to believe that such person is prohibited (by transferring a firearm thru a straw purchaser)” in violation of 27 CFR 478.99(c).
[735]*73512. IOI Williams’ “field report” of his inspection of Store # 375[ ] did not recommend that Store # 375’s federal firearms dealer’s license be revoked based upon these violations. (Tr. at 73)
13. On September 20, 2013, ATF Special Agents Richard Howard and Jason Crenshaw went to the Bradys’ residence at 70 Grove Dale Street, Memphis, Tennessee 38120, to retrieve the Shotgun. The Agents spoke with Jason Brady, who told them that the Shotgun was in the possession of the Memphis Police Department. Special Agents Howard and Crenshaw never spoke or tried to speak to Laura Brady.
14.

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Bluebook (online)
143 F. Supp. 3d 732, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 144808, 2015 WL 6458215, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/dicks-sporting-goods-inc-v-boydston-tnwd-2015.