Houston gun dealer heads to prison for assisting in illegal firearms trafficking

Press Release

Three gun buyers identified in investigation also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to straw purchase firearms

HOUSTON - A 45-year-old Cypress resident has been sentenced for aiding and abetting engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Nicah Anderson pleaded guilty Aug. 9.

U.S. District Judge Keith Ellison ordered Anderson to serve 24 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by one year of supervised release.

"Anderson selfishly prioritized his profits over public safety," said Hamdani. "Anderson claimed his gun store was not as profitable as he hoped, but that's no excuse for turning a blind eye so many suspect gun sales. Today, the court held him accountable for his wrongdoing. Just as important, he is now forced to disgorge his ill-gotten gains."

"Violent crime threatens the safety and wellbeing of every community, and illegal firearms trafficking fuels that violence," said Special Agent in Charge Michael Weddel of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). "It is our duty to ensure that those who exploit the system, especially licensed gun dealers who break the trust placed in them, are caught and held accountable. We are taking critical steps toward reducing violent crime and protecting innocent lives by targeting those who enable the flow of illegal firearms."

Anderson was a federal firearms licensee and former majority owner and operator of NE Guns.

Between December 2022 and March 2023, Anderson allowed people to straw purchase numerous firearms. Some included Barret .50 caliber, military-grade sniper rifles; FN SCAR 17S, .308 caliber rifles and 9 millimeter pistols. These guns are known weapons of choice for Mexican drug cartels.

Law enforcement executed a search warrant at NE Guns July 19, 2023. Among other things, they seized 266 firearms, 138,940 rounds of ammunition, seven silencers and NE Guns' business records.

The investigation found that between October 2022 and August 2023, NE Guns received $115,000 from purchases suspected straw purchasers made.

As part of the investigation, Imran Ali, 28, Spring, Averyl Pereyra, 27, Houston, and Ammar Ali, 26, Spring, admitted to conspiracy to straw purchase firearms.

According to their plea agreements, Imran Ali was prohibited from purchasing firearms and enlisted Pereyra - his girlfriend - and his brother - Ammar Ali - to purchase firearms for him. Imran Ali would select the firearms, arrange the purchases and have Pereyra and Ammar Ali make the purchases. Imran Ali would then quickly resell the guns, which resulted in at least $97,700 in profits.

In total, the group purchased 60 firearms, six of which were later recovered at crime scenes in Mexico.

U.S. District Judge Keith Ellison will impose sentencing Feb. 11, 2025. At that time, they each face up to five years in federal prison. All remain on bond pending that hearing.

Anderson was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

The ATF conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kate Suh and John Ganz prosecuted the case.

Updated December 17, 2024