LAWTON —

A 41-year-old Lawton man has been sentenced to federal prison for selling firearms without a license, according to a press release issued today by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Grand Rapids.

Joseph Scott Gray was sentenced Monday by Chief U.S. District Judge Paul L. Maloney to 27 months in federal prison.

A jury convicted Gray in September of selling firearms without a license. He was acquitted of a charge of knowingly selling a firearm to a convicted felon.

Prosecutors said Gray engaged in the business of selling firearms without a license between October 15, 2008 and July 31, 2009 from his Lawton sporting-goods store, 101 Outdoors.

Maloney denied Gray’s plea for a sentence of probation, and explained that a prison term was necessary to demonstrate that Gray’s crime was a serious one, the news release said.

The judge said that all federal firearms license holders are obligated to find out if the people attempting to buy their guns are felons or other prohibited individuals that are a danger to the community, according to the news release.

"Judge Maloney explained that because Gray knew about but ignored the licensing requirement, his business presented a serious threat to the effort to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous individuals," the press release said.