Former Discovery Channel Star Wyatt Arrested

Richard Wyatt, former star of Discovery Channel's reality series American Guns, was arrested last week and charged with conspiracy, dealing in firearms without a license and tax-related charges, according to the Justice Department.

Wyatt surrendered to authorities and was expected to make his first appearance before a judge in Colorado Friday (Feb. 12).

A 13-count federal grand jury indictment was returned against Wyatt Feb. 9.

Wyatt allegedly failed to report more than $1.1 million in income from his Gunsmoke store in Wheat Ridge, Colo. He also allegedly conspired to sell guns without a license. He surrendered that license in 2012.

Wyatt also faces forfeiture of the guns and ammo "involved in the commission of his alleged crimes," those crimes being trying to sell those guns and ammo without a license and evading taxes on that income.

DOJ noted that he "aggressively" marketed the business on YouTube and through his appearances on 26 episodes of the Discovery Channel series in 2011 and 2012.

His new reality, if convicted on all counts, could be 35 years in prison and fines of more than $1.5 million.

John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.