Davis v. DiStephano et al

On February 20, 2025, Mark Davis filed a civil lawsuit in Providence County Superior Court against Anthony DiStephano and his firearms business, Ocean State Tactical, LLC. The case alleges that DiStephano illegally sold over 200 firearms to straw purchasers, including the handgun used in a fatal shooting. The plaintiff claims the defendants negligently entrusted weapons to individuals prohibited from possessing firearms, created a public nuisance, and engaged in deceptive trade practices. Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha simultaneously announced criminal charges against DiStephano for firearm trafficking. The case draws upon Rhode Island's firearms industry accountability laws enacted in 2022.

Case pending as of early 2026. Criminal charges against DiStephano resulted in guilty plea to multiple counts of illegal firearm sales in October 2025. Civil litigation proceeding with discovery phase ongoing.

Whether firearms dealers can be held civilly liable for downstream criminal misuse when they knowingly sell to straw purchasers in violation of federal and state laws, and whether such conduct constitutes a public nuisance under Rhode Island's novel firearm industry accountability statute.

The case represents a significant test of Rhode Island's 2022 firearm industry accountability law, mirroring national debates about dealer responsibility. It has drawn attention from gun control advocacy groups and Second Amendment organizations nationwide. The successful criminal prosecution strengthened civil claims and may influence similar litigation strategies in other states with comparable statutes, potentially reshaping how courts evaluate proximate cause in negligent entrustment cases against firearms dealers.