ATF Press Release

LOS ANGELES – A Lakewood father and son who were charged with illegally selling dozens of firearms – including an AR-type rifle and machine guns – as well as ammunition and cocaine to undercover law enforcement agents have been convicted of federal firearms- and narcotics-related offenses.

 

Brian Lee Green, 57, was found guilty by a federal jury on June 12 after a two-day trial. He was found guilty of four felonies: 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.

 

In April, a federal grand jury charged Brian Green with these offenses. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 26, where he faces a statutory maximum sentence of 55 years in federal prison.

 

His son, Clay Wesley Green, 21, pleaded guilty on March 25 to 10 felonies, including distribution of cocaine, possession of machine guns, engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license, and possession of unregistered firearms. Clay Green was indicted on the offenses in January and his sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 29, where he faces a statutory maximum sentence of 125 years in federal prison.

 

According to Clay Green’s plea agreement, 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 that converted the pistols into automatic weapons, later determined by law enforcement to be machine guns, according to court documents. Clay Green also admitted that in September 2018, 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 individuals boasting that, in fact, it was he who built the converted handguns, according to evidence presented at his trial.

 

Throughout the investigation, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) purchased or seized approximately 24 firearms, to include six fully-automatic handguns, one fully-automatic short-barreled rifle, four short-barrel rifles, 14 ounces of cocaine, approximately 1 pound of marijuana, morphine, MDMA, a large number of Xanax-type prescription pills, and more than $63,000.

 

“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 in the hands of criminals.”

 

This matter was investigated by the ATF with the Long Beach Police Department providing assistance. These cases were prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California. Brian Green was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine M. Ro and Edward Han. Clay Green was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney MiRi Song. For more information, follow ATF LAFD on Twitter @LosAngelesATF.