A federal grand jury indicted Mark Adams Prieto, 58, of Prescott, Arizona on charges of firearms trafficking, transferring a firearm for use in a hate crime, and possessing an unregistered firearm.
Prosecutors allege that between January and May 2024, Prieto unknowingly discussed plans for a mass shooting with undercover FBI agents. Believing they shared his racist views, Prieto intended to target a concert in Atlanta on May 14th and 15th to spark a race war before the upcoming presidential election.
According to the indictment, Prieto sold two rifles, an AK-style and an AR-style, to one of the undercover agents in February and March. The FBI monitored Prieto throughout the investigation and arrested him on May 14th while he was driving eastbound on Interstate 40 with seven firearms. A search of his residence revealed additional weapons, including an unregistered short-barreled rifle.
If convicted, Prieto faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each firearms trafficking and hate crime transfer charge. Possession of an unregistered firearm carries a maximum penalty of 10 years and a $250,000 fine.
An indictment is a formal accusation, not a verdict. Prieto is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The investigation involved collaboration between multiple agencies, including the FBI’s Phoenix and Albuquerque field offices, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Department of Veteran’s Affairs Office of Inspector General, the Arizona Attorney General’s Office, and the Prescott Police Department. The prosecution is being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona, with assistance from the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and Counterterrorism Section.