David Lara, a 57-year-old resident of Lubbock, has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for his involvement in the burglary of a Lubbock Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL). The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Lara faced charges through an indictment in June 2023 and later pleaded guilty to the theft of firearms from a Federal Firearms Licensee in August 2023. The sentencing took place today before U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix.
Court documents revealed that during the summer of 2020, Lubbock experienced a series of burglaries targeting Federal Firearms Licensees. On June 28, 2020, Lara, accompanied by another individual, entered Gebo’s Distributing Inc. They gained access to the building by prying back the sheet metal on the side of the structure and entering through a storage area attached to the building.
Once inside, the burglars utilized a sledgehammer to break the glass displays, making off with 37 firearms, which they placed in a bag. However, during their escape, the bag containing the stolen firearms was dropped, along with gloves and ski masks used during the burglary. The discarded gloves were recovered by the Lubbock Police Department and submitted for forensic analysis, with DNA results confirming a match to David Lara.
In interviews with law enforcement, Lara confessed to his involvement in the burglary. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives, with assistance from the Lubbock Police Department, conducted the investigation leading to Lara's arrest and subsequent sentencing.
