An Antelope Valley man made his initial court appearance Friday for allegedly making false statements in connection with the unlawful purchase of multiple firearms and selling the firearms without a license, officials said.

According to allegations contained in the federal indictment, from about May 13, 2020, to about August 17, 2021, Kenneth Earl Smith Jr. — 28, of Lancaster, California — engaged in dealing firearms without a firearms business license.

During the purchase of 19 firearms at several Federal Firearms Licensees in Las Vegas, he made false statements on Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Firearms Transactions Records (Form 4473). As alleged, Smith represented that he was the buyer of the firearms, when in fact he was acquiring the firearms on behalf of other persons. Smith likewise represented that he was a Nevada resident, when in fact he was a California resident.

Smith is charged with eight counts of illegal acquisition of a firearm and one count of engaging in the firearms business without a license.

He was arraigned Friday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Albregts. A jury trial has been scheduled to begin on Jan. 3, 2022 before U.S. District Judge Gloria M. Navarro. If convicted, Smith faces a statutory maximum penalty of 90 years in prison.

Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Patrick Gorman for the ATF made the announcement.

This case was investigated by ATF. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan Cowhig is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Anyone with information about the unlawful purchase of firearms can call ATF at 1-888-ATF-TIPS (1-888-283-8477), email [email protected], or submit information anonymously online.

KHTS FM 98.1 and AM 1220 is Santa Clarita’s only local radio station. KHTS mixes in a combination of news, traffic, sports, and features along with your favorite adult contemporary hits. Santa Clarita news and features are delivered throughout the day over our airwaves, on our website and through a variety of social media platforms. Our KHTS national award-winning daily news briefs are now read daily by 34,000+ residents. A vibrant member of the Santa Clarita community, the KHTS broadcast signal reaches all of the Santa Clarita Valley and parts of the high desert communities located in the Antelope Valley. The station streams its talk shows over the web, reaching a potentially worldwide audience. Follow @KHTSRadio on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.