The couple who ripped off a Southwest Michigan hardware store earlier this month, stealing 22 shotguns, rifles and semi-automatic firearms, are now in custody in Ottawa County and face multiple charges following an indictment return against them by a federal grand jury in the Western District of Michigan Tuesday.
The federal grand jury returned an indictment against 22-year old Matteo Marroquin and his girlfriend, 22-year old Lacy Zimmerman, both of Ottawa County for hitting the Allegan County business this month. According to the indictment, the defendants stole 22 firearms from Graafschap Hardware Store, a federal firearms licensee, on December 7th or 8th, 2018.
Marroquin and Zimmerman are also charged with possession of stolen firearms and illegal possession of firearms as felons. The two were arrested on December 10th, and a third individual, Andrew Leenheer, has also been charged with one count of possession of a stolen firearm and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm for his possession of one of the stolen guns.
Law enforcement officers believe that all of the guns stolen from Graafschap Hardware, which is located at 4578 60th Street in Allegan County, have been recovered. The store’s address is a Holland address, although the actual building is on the south side of the Allegan-Ottawa County line.
Each charge against the three carries a penalty of up to 10 years’ incarceration and/or a $250,000 fine. All three are currently being held on unrelated, outstanding warrants in Ottawa County. They will be arraigned in U.S. District Court in Grand Rapids when taken into federal custody.
The case is being investigated by the Allegan County Sheriff’s Office, Michigan State Police, WEMET, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Assistant U.S. Attorney Sally J. Berens is prosecuting the case.
Berens reminds that the charges in an indictment are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.
Authorities say that the following firearms were stolen, transported and shipped in interstate or foreign commerce:
- Mossberg 12-gauge over-under shotgun
- Beretta, Model626, side-by-side double barrel shotgun
- Lefever, Nitro Special, side-by-side double barrel shotgun
- J.C. Higgins, Model311A,side-by-side double barrel shotgun
- Winchester 24, side-by-side double barrel shotgun
- Winchester 24,side-by-side double barrel shotgun
- Ranger side-by-side double barrel shotgun
- Century Arms, Model C39V2, 7.62 x 39 semiautomatic rifle
- Century Arms, Model RAS47, 7.62 x 39 semiautomatic rifle
- Vyatskie Polyany, Model VEPR12, 12-gauge semi-automatic shotgun
- Remington Arms, Model 870, .410 pump-action shotgun
- Ranger 120, pump-action 12-gauge shotgun
- Mossberg 835, 12-gauge pump-action shotgun
- Winchester, Model 12, 12-gauge pump-action shotgun
- New England Firearms, Pardner Pump, 12-gauge, pump-action shotgun
- Mossberg 500A, 12-gauge pump-action shotgun
- Stoeger Arms P350, 12-gauge pump-action shotgun
- Winchester, Super X Pump, 12-gauge, pump-action shotgun
- Winchester, Model12, 12-gauge, pump-action shotgun
- Remington, 879Express Magnum, 12-gauge, pump-action shotgun
- Palmetto Armory, Model PSAK47, 7.62 x 39 semiautomatic rifle with a 30-round magazine
- Century Arms, Model C39V2, 7.62 x 39 semiautomatic rifle
