After the chain was accused of illegally selling large capacity ammunition magazines online and shipping them into the state, Dick’s Sporting Goods reached a settlement with the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office.

As part of a Nov. 14 consent order, the Pennsylvania-based retailer agreed to pay $46,000 in civil penalties and attorneys’ fees. It also pledged to update and maintain policies that prohibit advertising, selling and shipping LCMs to New Jersey residents, authorities said.

The settlement stems from a Division of Consumer Affairs investigation in July 2022. According to the AG’s office, an undercover investigator was able to purchase six LCMs – four 13-round magazines and two 12-round magazines – online from Field & Stream on two occasions.

The magazines then shipped from a New York distribution center to an undercover address in New Jersey, authorities said.

Since 2018, state law has prohibited the possession of large capacity ammunition magazines. New Jersey defines LCMs as firearms magazines that can gold more than 10 rounds of ammunition. The magazines – which allow a shooter to fire a high number of bullets without reloading – “have frequently been used in mass shootings,” the AG’s office noted.

Under review

In addition to violating New Jersey’s Consumer Fraud Act, Dick’s failed to comply with the state’s hazardous products regulations by advertising, offering and selling LCMs to state residents without disclosing that they are illegal to possess in New Jersey.

In 2018, Dick’s began pulling high-capacity magazines from its stores and halted the sale of firearms to anyone under age 21. The changes followed the shooting massacre in Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida.

The company also put its entire hunting category, including the Field & Stream business, under a strategic review, according to CNBC. Last year, Dick’s sold off the subsidiary and no longer does business under the trade name.

Officials said that under the terms of the settlement, Dick’s agreed it will disclose that possession of high-capacity magazines is prohibited in New Jersey if it decides to sell them in the future.

A spokesperson from Dick’s Sporting Goods did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In a statement, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin said, “Keeping large capacity magazines out of New Jersey is essential to the work we’re doing to make our communities safer and protect our residents from the threat of mass shootings and other senseless gun violence.”

“We will continue to investigate and hold accountable retailers who undermine our efforts by unlawfully shipping illegal ammunition magazines into our state that are capable of inflicting maximum lethal damage in a minimum period of time,” he said.

Division of Consumer Affairs Director Cari Fais added, “We are committed to vigorously enforcing these laws, especially when it comes to selling prohibited products like LCMs that threaten the peace and safety of our residents.”