A Lakewood man was sentenced today to four years and two months in federal prison for illegally selling dozens of firearms—including an AR-type rifle and machine guns—as well as ammunition and cocaine.
Brian Lee Green, 57, was found guilty in June by a Los Angeles federal jury of conspiracy to knowingly and intentionally engage in the business of dealing in firearms without a license, knowingly possessing machine guns, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, and distribution of cocaine.
His 21-year-old son, Clay Wesley Green, pleaded guilty to 10 felonies and was sentenced in July to 40 months in federal prison, prosecutors said.
Clay Green admitted in his plea agreement that between May and October 2018, he conducted multiple sales of firearms and narcotics to undercover agents. In August 2018, Clay Green sold one ounce of cocaine and two pistols converted into automatic weapons, according to court documents. Clay Green also admitted that last September, he sold cocaine and two short-barreled rifles with magazines, each of which did not have a serial number and were not registered under federal law.
During the August 2018 transaction, Brian Green served as a lookout during the deal and sent text messages to various people boasting that, in fact, it was he who built the converted handguns, according to evidence presented at his trial in downtown Los Angeles.
Throughout the investigation, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol,Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives purchased or seized two dozen firearms, including six fully automatic handguns, one fully automatic short-barreled rifle, four short-barrel rifles, 14 ounces of cocaine, about 1 pound of marijuana, morphine, MDMA, a large number of Xanax-type prescription pills and more than $63,000, court papers show.
“Federal law requires individuals who engage in the business of dealing in firearms be licensed by ATF,” said ATF Los Angeles Field Division Special Agent in Charge Carlos A. Canino. “Dealing in firearms without a license is a federal felony punishable by up to five years in prison, a fine up to $250,000, or both. Many of these firearms were also made into fully automatic weapons and were stripped of serial numbers. ATF works diligently to stop firearm trafficking schemes so firearms do not end up in the hands of criminals.”