Three men indicted on firearms charges

Chandler Inions, The Lebanon Democrat, Tenn.
·2 min read

Aug. 4—Three men who were arrested last month by deputies with the Wilson County Sheriff's Office were indicted on Monday for conspiracy to steal firearms from a federal firearms licensee.

The announcement was made on Tuesday by U.S. Attorney Mark H. Wildasin.

Tyler Cunningham, 22, Ryan Dillard, 36, and Corey Summers, 23, are also charged with possession of stolen firearms, and Dillard is charged with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.

Cunningham and Dillard are currently in custody, but Summers is sought by law enforcement.

According to the indictment, the trio burglarized an automotive repair shop in Middle Tennessee and stole a truck to use in the burglary of an federal firearms licensee. The indictment alleges that the defendants burglarized a firearms dealer in Greenbrier, and stole nine firearms on July 8

The indictment also alleges that they burglarized a firearms dealer in Woodbury, where they stole 28 firearms on July 14.

Additionally, the indictment alleges that the defendants offered to sell the stolen firearms to a third party.

If convicted, the defendants face up to five years in prison on the conspiracy charge and up to 10 years in prison on each theft and possession charge. Additionally, Dillard faces up to 15 years on the felon in possession charge.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Corey Summers or with additional information about these crimes should contact the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) at (888) ATF-TIPS (1-888-283-8477).

The three men were originally taking into custody along with a juvenile following what local authorities described as a standoff at the Days Inn, located on Highway 231-South in Lebanon, on July 14.

According to Capt. Scott Moore, the Wilson County Sheriff's Office's public information officer, "a silver Cadillac led law enforcement agencies in a brief pursuit at approximately 8 p.m."

The driver of the vehicle was able to elude pursuing officers. However, after a be on the lookout (BOLO) was issued, officers located a vehicle matching the description at the Days Inn.

According to reports, a standoff ensued at approximately 10 p.m. The Wilson County Sheriff's Office Communications Division managed to get a line through to one of the suspects on their room phone. Eventually, authorities took the suspects into custody without incident shortly after 11 p.m.

Moore indicated that investigators found weapons they believed to be stolen inside the room. Those weapons were linked to the ongoing ATF investigation.