Aurora Man Sentenced For Dealing Firearms Without License

DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces Timothy Taconi, age 70, of Aurora, has been sentenced to 30 months in prison after pleading guilty to one count of dealing a firearm without a license.  Taconi also voluntarily agreed to pay more than $190,000 in restitution for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) loans he received for the illegal firearms business.

According to the plea agreement, from August 2020, through February 5, 2023, the defendant, not being a licensed dealer of firearms, engaged in the business of dealing in firearms. The defendant also admitted to selling unregistered silencers. ATF previously revoked the federal firearms license of the dealer owned by Taconi, finding that his business had committed hundreds of violations of the Gun Control Act.  A federal judge affirmed the revocation in 2021.

“Laws regulating the sales of firearms help keep our communities safe,” said Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado Matt Kirsch. “We will continue to aggressively prosecute people violating those laws, especially repeat offenders.”

"Despite multiple warnings, Taconi intentionally and repeatedly chose to illegally sell firearms and manufacture ghost guns, what we call Privately Made Firearms, nationwide, particularly along the US-Mexican border," said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Chris Ashbridge. "His actions significantly increased the risk of violent gun crime, putting our families and communities in great danger."

The defendant was sentenced by Judge Charlotte N. Sweeney on July 24, 2024.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Denver Division handled the investigation. Special Assistant United States Attorney Leah Perczak and Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca Weber handled the prosecution.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

CASE NUMBER: 23-cr-00058