Man Accused Of Selling Shotgun Is Robbery Suspect Sawed-Off Firearm Used In Three Spokane Robberies

A man accused of selling a sawed-off shotgun to an undercover deputy in downtown Spokane on Halloween now is a suspect in three grocery store robberies.

Nathan J. Weis, 22, has been named in a three-count federal indictment charging him with federal firearms and drug violations.

He was indicted Wednesday on charges of possessing a sawed-off shotgun; possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Weis, who most recently lived at 1808 W. Sharp, was arrested after a plainclothes deputy purchased a sawed-off shotgun for $100. Weis is being held in the Spokane City-County Jail.

The shotgun was stolen from the suspect’s parents’ home north of Spokane, authorities said.

Authorities said the shotgun was used in two convenience store robberies in Spokane on Oct. 29 and in the Oct. 30 holdup of a Rosauers supermarket in the Spokane Valley.

Sheriff’s detectives are investigating Weis as a suspect in those robberies and also in the robbery of a man using a bank cash machine.

State charges may be filed as a result of those robberies.

When selling the sawed-off shotgun to the undercover officer, the suspect also offered to sell methamphetamine, authorities said.

After the transaction, officers arrested Weis and found four grams of the drug on him.

Agents of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms, working with sheriff’s detectives, subsequently served a search warrant at the suspect’s home.

There, they found a stolen cellular phone and drug paraphernalia, ATF agents said.

, DataTimes