GAINESVILLE - Three Cartersville men were indicted in U.S. District Court in Gainesville for the November 2008 theft of 40 firearms from a store in Jasper, Georgia.

Lonny Gravitt, 41, his son, Lindsay Gravitt, 22, and Joseph Tanturri, 24, all of Cartersville, Georgia, have been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges relating to the theft of 40 weapons from a federally licensed firearms dealer in Jasper, Georgia.

“Two of these defendants allegedly burglarized the Bargain Barn in the middle of the night and stole 40 guns," United States Attorney David E. Nahmias said of the case. "The ATF and local law enforcement officers have recovered a number of the stolen weapons and continue to work diligently on the case. But many of the firearms have not yet been recovered, which means that some of the stolen guns may be on the streets, creating a potentially dangerous situation for our community. If convicted, these defendants will face significant time in federal prison.”

According to United States Attorney Nahmias, the charges and other information presented in court: On November 8, 2008, at approximately 3:34 a.m. the monitored alarm system at the “Bargain Barn,” 3622 Camp Road, Jasper, Georgia, alerted to a break-in. The surveillance video revealed that three masked individuals entered the store. The three individuals immediately proceeded to several gun counters, smashed the glass cases and took approximately 40 firearms.

The three defendants were indicted by a federal grand jury on August 4, 2009. According to the indictment, Lindsay Gravitt and Joe Tanturri are charged with the theft of 40 firearms from a federally licensed firearms dealer, the Bargain Barn. All three defendants are charged with the receipt, possession, concealment, storage, and disposal of the stolen firearms from the Bargain Barn. Lonny Gravitt is also charged with possession of sawed-off shotgun. Tanturri is also charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

The investigation in this case continues. Anyone with information about the theft or the location of the stolen firearms is asked to call the ATF at 1-888-ATF-TIPS.

The charges against Lindsay Gravvitt carry a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $500,000. The charges against Lonny Gravvitt carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $500,000. The charges against Joseph Tanturri carry a maximum sentence of up to 25 years in prison and a fine of up to $750,000. In determining the actual sentence, the Court will consider the United States Sentencing Guidelines, which are not binding but provide appropriate sentencing ranges for most offenders.

This case is being investigated by Special Agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistance in this case has been provided by the Bartow County Sheriff’s Department, the Acworth Police Department, and the Jasper Police Department.