Orlando resident Lawrence Michael DeStefano is 65-year-old, has no criminal record and reveres the Second Amendment more than nearly anything else.
DeStefano’s website, Indie Guns, is still active, at least for now, even though he cannot fill any orders. The site contains his business motto, which is simple but very true: “Guns are Normal and Normal People Build Guns.”
DeStefano has been held without bond in the Orange County Jail for nearly 90 days, awaiting a trip to New York’s infamous Rikers Island—a violent 400-acre prison island in the East River near the Bronx—from which he may never return.
“I am in jail for telling the truth. I was one of the largest dealers of self-built arms. I hate the term ghost guns,” he said last week on a jail telephone.
DeStefano’s firm was one of 10 self-built arms dealers targeted by New York State Attorney General Leticia James, because they allegedly shipped gun kits to New York.
“She made a deal with the other companies,” DeStefano said. “They turned over all their customer data. I have more than 50,000 customers just in New York. My attorney even told me to turn over all my customer data, but I thought this isn’t about me. I am going to fight this.”
DeStefano posted one of James’ letters on social media, which demanded that he comply and turn over his customers’ names and addresses. His reply was also posted.
“I addressed Leticia James and the mayor,” he said. “I was very vulgar and extremely angry.”
DeStefano has sold gun parts kits to people in all 50 states and has never had a problem other than in New York.
“I promise you this is very true: Every government wants registration, then confiscation, then genocide,” he said.
Seventy-one felonies
DeStefano was arrested October 10, 2025, by a dozen Florida Highway Patrol troopers, who were ready for a fight. His arrest report states he had “an outstanding warrant out of New York.” He complied fully during the traffic stop and no force was needed.
The arrest report raises questions. It states that DeStefano had made terroristic threats in New York—state offenses—and that firearms were involved. He strongly denies making any threats and was never in New York.
Regardless of the error, Florida State Troopers took him to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department jail, where he remains.
While in custody, Circuit Court Judge Leticia Marquez shot down two of DeStefano’s motions for more information about the charges he faces. On November 11, 2025, she issued an order striking his demand for discovery. On the same day, the judge denied a motion for a free attorney.
“The motion to Appoint a Conflict Free Attorney is hereby DENIED. As this is a civil matter, there is no legal right to counsel. Counsel was appointed in this case as a courtesy,” Judge Marques wrote in her order.
Since he was sitting in jail, it is now known why the judge viewed his charges as a civil matter, rather than a criminal case.
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Search warrants
ATF and other federal agents first searched DeStefano’s home on October 22, 2025. Two weeks later they searched his rental properties, and two New York investigators were present during the search.
Agents seized 68 items from his home, mostly handguns, gun parts and ammunition. However, they seized thousands of firearms and parts kits from his storage areas—more than 100 typed pages were needed to list everything agents seized. Most were Polymer 80 kits.
The federal agents seized far more than just his guns. Agents also took tools, electronics, repair items, toolboxes, gun oil, computers, phones, $500,000 worth of gold bars, $110,000 in cash, and even a lawn mower.
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.
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 to all Florida Sheriffs and other peace officers in the state, commanding them to arrest DeStefano, who was already in custody.
The New York State charges he is facing could see him sentenced to a total of 521 years in prison.
Officials could move him to New York at any time, DeStefano said.
Civil lawsuit
DeStefano’s criminal charges came after a civil suit was filed by Attorney General James in New York, in which DeStefano did not participate. James brought a lawsuit against DeStefano and nine other national “ghost gun” dealers.
On March 6, 2024, James’ office released a massive press release touting its victory against DeStefano and his firm, Indie Guns.
“New York Attorney General Letitia James secured a $7.8 million judgment and permanent injunction against gun retailer Indie Guns, LLC (Indie Guns) for illegally selling ghost gun components in New York,” the press release states. “The Florida-based company specializing in selling the parts used to make ghost guns will also be permanently banned from selling unfinished frames and receivers in New York.”
Nowhere in her lengthy press release did James mention that DeStefano never showed up for the trial, or that the $7.8 million judgement she obtained against him occurred as a result of a default judgement.
Satisfied customers
Bill has purchased dozens of gun parts kits from DeStefano. He asked that his last name not be used in this story.
Bill knows DeStefano well. The two men have been friends for more than 10 years.
“Lawrence is the most truly patriotic person I know, and that involves the Second Amendment and our right to bear arms,” Bill said. “Am I happy with his products? A million percent! When you buy from Lawrence, he has the best quality parts available, or at least he did have them until the ATF took them all.”
DeStefano’s pistols, Bill said, are far better than Glock’s original guns.
“They’re far better than Milspec. His RMR cuts are fantastic—he builds out your slide for you, even putting the sights on,” he said. “He makes sure everything is perfect. Everything I’ve gotten from him is perfect—far above what even Glock has.”
His commitment to privacy is one of the main reasons why Bill bought DeStefano’s pistols.
“His prices were fair, but a little bit higher than your average Joe, but this comes with you knowing your customer data would not be given out to anyone who asked him for it,” Bill said. “If Leticia James wants to know what I bought from Lawrence, I know he’s not going to give her the data, because she has no right to know my business or what I do in my own home.”
As to DeStefano’s possible criminal sentence, Bill was very clear.
“That’s a hard bill to swallow—521 years,” he said. “In fact, it’s ridiculous. A law abiding-citizen of Florida faces 500-plus years imprisonment because he doesn’t want to turn over his customer data is proof positive there’s an overreach from the government.”
Not Guilty
Florida attorney Matthew Larosiere has experience defending those accused of violating nonsensical gun laws and is known as a fighter within the country’s tight Second Amendment legal community.
He’s a true gun lawyer, after all.
Larosiere does not believe Attorney General James has a provable case against DeStefano.
“New York does not get to say that your actions in Florida violated New York law and get to drag you in. That’s settled,” he said. “In any event, he should under no circumstances be extradited out of state.”
Takeaways
Joseph Story served as a U.S. Supreme Court Justice from 1812 to 1845. DeStefano’s Indie Guns website features one of Justice Story’s best-known quotes.
“One of the ordinary modes, by which tyrants accomplish their purposes without resistance, is, by disarming the people, and making it an offense to keep arms,” Justice Story said.
DeStephano has another citation on his website, which he wrote himself.
“Real freedom isn’t bought. It’s a self-built AK,” he wrote. “No dealers. No forms. No registry.”
He is proud of the guns he produced and sold, stating they were “high end guns with German steel that was heat-treated properly.”
Said DeStephano: “I will never turn over my customer data. I am going to Rikers Island and will represent myself if I have to. These are serious charges. I’m either gonna win my case or I will wind up in jail for the rest of my life.”
This story is presented by the Second Amendment Foundation’s Investigative Journalism Project and wouldn’t be possible without you. Please click here to make a tax-deductible donation to support more pro-gun stories like this.
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.
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