WICHITA – A Butler County couple who ran a combined beauty shop and gun store have been charged with federal firearms violations, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said today.

41-year-old Tracey Eberhart, and her husband, 50-year-old Jeffrey Eberhart, both of Augusta, were charged in a criminal complaint filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Wichita. Jeffrey Eberhart was charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm after a felony conviction and one count of dealing in firearms without a license. Tracey Eberhart was charged with one count of aiding a felon in possessing firearms and ammunition and one count of providing firearms and ammunition to a convicted felon.

According to an agent’s affidavit, Tracey Eberhart obtained a federal license as a dealer of firearms when she opened Traceys Dream Weavers Salon And Sporting Goods at 431 State Street in Augusta, Kan. She told an investigator her intention was to cater the firearms business to women. During the application process, she made no mention of her husband, Jeffrey Eberhart. Because of prior felony convictions, he was prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition.

On Jan. 20, 2012, agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives attended a gun show in Topeka, Kan., where they saw Jeffrey Eberhart selling firearms at the Dream Weavers booth. He was wearing a Dream Weavers T-shirt and was heard talking to buyers about guns and laser scopes. Eberhart explained to an undercover agent that his wife and female employees sold guns during the week while he and another man sold firearms at gun shows on weekends. Later, ATF agents purchased ammunition and guns from Jeffrey Eberhart, both at the storefront in Augusta and at gun shows.

If convicted of aiding a felon in possession of a firearm, the penalty is a maximum of 10-years in federal prison. The penalty for providing firearms and ammunition to a felon, the maximum penalty is also 10-years.

For unlawful possession of a firearm after a felony conviction, the maximum penalty is again 10-years in federal prison and for dealing in firearms without a license, the maximum penalty is five years.