Orlando, Florida resident and Indie Guns owner Lawrence Michael DeStefano wants his 50,000 New York customers to know he will never give up their names, even though New York State Attorney General Leticia James has threatened to put him in prison for more than 500 years if he doesn’t comply immediately and furnish their personal information and purchase history.
As we first reported last week, DeStefano has been held in Florida’s Orange County Jail for nearly 90 days. He could be taken to New York’s infamous Rikers Island any day.
“I will never tell Letitia James who bought my guns,” DeStefano said Sunday night from the Orange County jail. “I care about my customers. They should know I will never turn over their customer data. That’s why James went criminal, but I will never give them up. They are law abiding citizens and do not need to worry.”
DeStefano’s firm Indie Guns was one of 10 self-built arms dealers James targeted because they allegedly shipped gun parts kits to New York. The other nine firms handed over their customer data to James, DeStefano said, but he refused. Instead, he decided to fight James and her unconstitutional out-of-state requests.
Two New York State detectives accompanied ATF agents in October, when they executed search warrants of DeStefano’s home and rental properties. The ATF agents seized 68 items from DeStefano’s home—including $500,0000 worth of gold Krugerrands and $110,000 in cash—but took thousands of gun-parts kits from his rental properties. More than 100 typed pages were needed to list all of the items seized from DeStefano. Most were Polymer 80 kits.
DeStefano has sold his “self-built arms” kits to customers in all 50 states, but New York is the only state where he ever encountered legal problems.
On Nov. 12, 2025, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a letter and sent it to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, charging DeStefano with 71 state crimes, which total 521 years behind bars.
They included:
- 1 count of Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree
- 2 counts of Sale of a Criminal Firearm in the First Degree
- 39 counts of Criminal Sale of a Firearm in the Third Degree
- 28 counts of Manufacture, Transport, Disposition and Defacement of Weapons and Dangerous Appliances
- 1 count of Criminal Sale of a Frame or Receiver in the Second Degree
On December 5, 2025, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis responded with a letter sent to all Florida Sheriffs and other peace officers in the state, commanding them to arrest DeStefano, who was already in custody.
DeSantis did not respond to calls or emails seeking to know why he ordered DeStefano’s arrest.
This is certainly not the first time DeStefano and James have battled publicly.
After James won a $7.8 million civil lawsuit against him—DeStefano did not go to New York for the case—he expressed his outrage over social media.
“I had around 15,000 followers on Instagram, but a few days after my posts I had a quarter-million followers,” DeStefano said. “They quickly shut down my Instagram account.”
He expects to be extradited to New York within the coming days, but he is more concerned about his customers, who he said may be worrying about what will happen next.
Said DeStefano: “I care about my customers. They do not need to worry. Gun privacy to me is sacrosanct, just like confession. Please tell all of my 50,000 customers in New York that they don’t have to hide anything. Please reassure them that they do not have to be scared. I will die in jail before I ever give them up.”
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About Lee Williams
Lee Williams, who is also known as “The Gun Writer,” is the chief editor of the Second Amendment Foundation’s Investigative Journalism Project. Until recently, he was also an editor for a daily newspaper in Florida. Before becoming an editor, Lee was an investigative reporter at newspapers in three states and a U.S. Territory. Before becoming a journalist, he worked as a police officer. Before becoming a cop, Lee served in the Army. He’s earned more than a dozen national journalism awards as a reporter, and three medals of valor as a cop. Lee is an avid tactical shooter.
I blame the Roberts Court for not having the testicular fortitude to take a #2A case recently that has teeth. Sure, they ruled on Heller & Bruen in our favor. But what has that gotten us? Blue states still do whatever they want up to & including spitting on the Constitution. There are no penalties for not following any SCOTUS decision.
The upcoming civil war will be fought between freedom loving Americans & communists.
I would think the 9 other companies that gave up their customer’s names are guilty, along with James, of materially contributing to the violation of 18 U.S. Code § 926(a)(3) of creating a registry of gun owners.
when florida does not protect rights the IDIOT in charge NEEDS TO BE BOOTED good thing he is term limited rino like rick
For all that argued with me when I was saying that Desantass was an ass and not a 2nd amendment supporter but more a RINO during the presidential election.
Told ya!!!!!!
Here we see a long standing dirty game on the part of federal agencies to destroy the defendant well before court happens. The tactic is called Civil Asset Forfeiture and in this case the seizure of cash and gold is intended not to support the evidence table but to prevent the defendant from financing a legal defense. The feds learned these dirty tactics decades ago in the anti-mafia and then anti-drug campaigns. The process is the punishment. If you live in a progressive utopia like NY you must always be on guard to protect yourself from vengeful prosecution. Progressives and… Read more »
It would be good if Lee Williams can tell us the names of the 9 companies that turned our personal information over to Letitia, what personal information and the dates on any of this sales or other documents, video’s, pictures from fedex delivery or otherwise, other information unknown. I don’t know why Lee is not letting us know who the 9 are that delivered us over.
At last report, DeStefano has been transported to Rikers. This man is a genuine American hero, one who deserves the greatest respect from all Americans, not just the 2-A community. If the total waste of skin in New York is allowed to prevail, every one of us will be in greater jeopardy. Elections have consequences. Remember this when you go to the polls. Remind your family and friends of this anti-American action by a progressive (read: Democrat) prosecutor. We cannot remain silent as our Constitutional rights are stripped away.
I worry whenever I purchase online that future laws may leave me with a purchase history of legal purchases that are subject to change in legality. Especially with current events in Virginia. I was justified with the worry back during the solvent trap to form one stamping a few years back. I wanted to do a form one but lacked the confidence it would work out. Thinking I know the laws isn’t the same as knowing the slippery, ever changing interpretations of laws that has been going on over the last 20 years. I too would like to know the… Read more »
You own a Firearm then you have to do something.
Write and Call.
Does anyone have other suggestions?
(Attorney General James Uthmeier is running for reelection)
Does anyone have other suggestions?
https://www.flgov.com/eog/leadership/people/ron-desantis/contact
Attorney General James Uthmeier
https://legacy.myfloridalegal.com/contact.nsf/contact?Open&Section=Citizen_Services
Attorney General James Uthmeier
Home Page:
https://www.myfloridalegal.com/
Leticia James = Another Cant Understand Normal Thinker!