February 15, 2024
By Mark Chesnut
A gun retailer in Federal Way, Washington, is being forced to pay a $3 million fine for selling standard-capacity ammunition magazines that violate the state’s magazine capacity law. According to a new release from the state attorney general’s office, Federal Way Discount Guns will pay the $3 million for selling 3,625 magazines that could hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition between July 1, 2022, and the end of that year.
“Federal Way Discount Guns chose to violate a critical law aimed at combating mass shootings,” AG Bob Ferguson said. “Washington businesses are following the law and stopped selling high-capacity magazines. This resolution provides accountability for someone who flagrantly violated the law and will increase law enforcement resources to combat gun violence.”
Under a consent decree filed Feb. 6 in King County Superior Court, Federal Way must pay the $3 million within 30 days. Under the state law passed in 2022, retailers face a maximum penalty of $7,500 every time they offer a magazine for sale that holds more than 10 rounds and $7,500 each time they sell such a magazine. According to the attorney general, investigators visited Federal Way Discount Guns four separate times from August to November 2022 to purchase the banned magazines. The investigators found a wall openly displaying dozens of magazines for sale holding more than 10 rounds. Also, according to the report, during each sale made to the AG staff, the sales clerk destroyed the record of the sale or made comments to the investigator indicating they knew the sale of the magazines was unlawful.
In one instance, according to the AG report, a sales clerk told an investigator that “it’s the nature of the beast” but that he couldn’t provide a receipt because the magazines held “more than 10 rounds.” The sales clerk then crumpled up the sales receipt that was automatically generated from the cash register and threw it in the trash. In all, investigators purchased nine magazines over the legal limit from the store. Unconstitutional magazine capacity laws like Washington’s regulation are being challenged in court in a number of states that have such laws. A similar law in California was ruled constitutional, but then reinstated upon appeal. Litigation continues in that case and we will provide updates as information is released.
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About the Author Freelance writer and editor Mark Chesnut is the owner/editorial director at Red Setter Communications LLC. An avid hunter, shooter and political observer, he has been covering Second Amendment issues and politics on a near-daily basis for nearly 25 years.
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