Gun Store Employee Pleads Guilty to Possession of Stolen Ammunition

ROANOKE, Va. - A former gun store employee pled guilty recently in federal court to possession of stolen ammunition.

Frank Michael Rodgers, 50, of Montvale, Virginia, faces up to 10 years in prison when he's sentenced on March 17, 2026.

According to court documents, Rodgers was employed by Big Boyz Guns (BBG), a federally licensed firearms dealer in Botetourt County, from approximately August 19, 2020, through February 15, 2025. Beginning as early as August 2021, Rodgers engaged in multiple fraudulent schemes while working at the business.

Rodgers routinely removed items from BBG's inventory and processed false returns to generate cash or store credit. He then used that illegitimate credit to purchase firearms from the store while keeping the merchandise he had removed.

Between approximately August 25, 2021, and September 1, 2021, Rodgers also created fraudulent store credits labeled as "return on labor," a designation intended for customer service charges rather than employee compensation. He used these credits to purchase additional firearms.

On August 19, 2021, Rodgers purchased firearms at discounts that exceeded the authorized employee rate. On December 7, 2022, he traded in personal firearms that he knowingly overvalued to obtain inflated credit, which he used to purchase additional firearms from BBG's inventory.

Finally, on January 31, 2024, Rodgers stole ammunition from BBG's inventory.

First Assistant United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci and ATF Washington Division Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood made the announcement.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Botetourt County Sheriff's Office are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Charlene R. Day is prosecuting the case.