Attorney General Letitia James files lawsuit against St. Lawrence County gun shop over repeated violations of gun safety laws and security failures

New York – New York Attorney General Letitia James has filed a lawsuit targeting Bowman’s Gun Shop, a firearms store located in Gouverneur, St. Lawrence County, alleging years of serious violations of New York’s strict gun safety laws. The suit, filed against both the shop and its owner, Timothy Bowman, claims that poor security, reckless storage practices, and a blatant disregard for legal safety requirements at the shop directly endangered New Yorkers by making it easier for criminals to steal guns and ammunition. These security failures reportedly led to the theft of dozens of firearms and large amounts of ammunition, some of which were later trafficked to New York City, Philadelphia, and even as far as Barbados.

“For years, Timothy Bowman has operated his gun shop with reckless disregard for New York’s gun safety laws, putting people’s lives at risk in the process,” Attorney General James said in a statement announcing the lawsuit. “Irresponsible and inadequate security at gun shops is dangerous for all New Yorkers. New Yorkers deserve to feel safe in their communities, and gun shop owners like Timothy Bowman, who repeatedly violate our gun safety laws and make it easy for thieves to steal and traffic guns, put New Yorkers at risk. Gun shop owners have a responsibility to maintain the utmost security in and around their stores to prevent theft and gun trafficking. Mr. Bowman violated that responsibility and today we are taking action to hold him accountable and protect New Yorkers.”

According to the lawsuit, Bowman’s Gun Shop has a documented history of ignoring basic safety protocols required by state law. In New York, licensed gun dealers are required to have a thorough security plan in place, properly store firearms when the shop is closed, keep ammunition separate from guns and out of customers’ reach, preserve security footage for at least two years, and maintain backups of paper records. Investigations have found that Bowman has repeatedly failed on all fronts.

This lawsuit comes after a series of alarming incidents that highlighted the shop’s weak security. In 2019, burglars easily gained entry through an unlocked exterior door, stealing a range of firearms, ammunition, and cash. Despite this wake-up call, Bowman reportedly made no significant effort to improve security. Just a year later, in 2020, another group of thieves exploited the shop’s vulnerabilities, this time entering through a window that had been left partially open overnight. That break-in resulted in the theft of 28 pistols, 12 revolvers, nine rifles — including four AR-style rifles — and two shotguns. Despite having an alarm system installed, Bowman admitted that he failed to activate it “three quarters of the time,” including on the night of this second burglary.

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The consequences of these break-ins were far-reaching. Authorities investigating the 2020 burglary quickly discovered that some of the stolen firearms had been trafficked across state lines and even internationally. Law enforcement agencies in New York City and Philadelphia reported recovering stolen weapons from the shop, and federal investigators later traced a firearm recovered in Barbados back to the same theft. Even more troubling, the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) uncovered a stolen gun from the shop that had never been properly reported missing, as federal law requires.

Despite such glaring failures, the Attorney General’s office claims Bowman continued to operate his business in violation of the law. In 2023, the New York State Police conducted an inspection of Bowman’s Gun Shop and found the store was still not in compliance with legal safety standards. They reported ongoing failures to secure firearms properly, insufficient recordkeeping, and the continued risk of further theft and illegal gun trafficking.

Adding to Bowman’s history of violations, in April 2019 the St. Lawrence County Court suspended both his pistol-selling license and his permit to possess pistols after an investigation revealed further misconduct. During that inquiry, Bowman admitted he had knowingly accepted two handguns from a person he knew was not legally allowed to possess them. To make matters worse, he also falsified his shop’s legally required inventory records regarding those firearms.

These cumulative failures have prompted Attorney General James to seek a court order permanently banning Bowman from owning or operating any gun store in New York State. Additionally, her office is pursuing financial penalties, disgorgement of profits, and court-mandated compliance with New York’s gun safety regulations.

The lawsuit against Bowman’s Gun Shop represents just the latest step in Attorney General James’s broader campaign to tighten gun safety across New York State. Since taking office, she has taken aggressive action on multiple fronts to reduce gun violence and hold negligent gun sellers accountable. Her office has successfully defended New York’s firearms accountability law, which enables state and local governments to hold gun manufacturers and dealers legally responsible for injuries caused by unlawful sales and marketing practices. In July 2024, she urged the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold federal regulations treating ghost guns — untraceable firearms often assembled from kits — the same as traditional firearms. She has also secured millions in penalties from retailers found violating New York’s firearm laws, including a significant $7.8 million settlement with Indie Guns over illegal ghost gun sales earlier this year.

Furthermore, Attorney General James’s efforts to improve community safety have included working to remove illegal guns from New York streets. Through organized gun buyback programs, her office has taken more than 9,000 firearms out of circulation across the state, directly reducing the risk of those weapons being used in crimes.

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The legal action against Bowman’s Gun Shop is being handled by a team of experienced officials within the Attorney General’s Office. The case is led by Assistant Attorney General in Charge of the Watertown Regional Office, Deanna Nelson, alongside Special Counsel Molly Thomas-Jensen, Special Counsel Monica Hanna, and Assistant Attorney General Martha Grieco. The Watertown office operates as part of the Attorney General’s Division of Regional Offices, which is headed by Chief Deputy Attorney General Jill Faber and overseen by First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy.

Through this lawsuit, Attorney General James is sending a clear message to gun shop owners across New York: lax security, disregard for safety regulations, and reckless behavior that endangers communities will not be tolerated. Those entrusted with the sale and storage of firearms bear a heavy responsibility to uphold the law and protect public safety.

The outcome of this legal battle remains to be seen, but the case highlights the broader issue of gun safety and the critical role that proper oversight and enforcement play in preventing firearms from falling into the wrong hands. As this lawsuit unfolds, it is likely to serve as a cautionary tale for other firearms retailers across the state who may be tempted to cut corners when it comes to security and compliance.

For Attorney General James, this case is yet another front in her ongoing efforts to protect New Yorkers from the dangers of illegal and improperly secured firearms. As she stated firmly in her announcement: “Gun shop owners have a responsibility to maintain the utmost security in and around their stores to prevent theft and gun trafficking. Mr. Bowman violated that responsibility and today we are taking action to hold him accountable and protect New Yorkers.”