Defense: ATF sting targeted black males

? A bogus pawn shop operated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives targeted black males during a months-long firearms sting operation that was racially motivated, a defense attorney claimed in a court filing seeking to dismiss charges against his client.

But the government in its own filing Friday denied that investigators and prosecutors were motivated by “impermissible considerations” or bad faith. Prosecutors urged U.S. District Judge Monti Belot to reject the defense request for an evidentiary hearing.

The legal dustup comes in the case of Chico Davis, who faces a 20-count indictment that includes multiple charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm as well as charges of methamphetamine, marijuana and crack cocaine distribution. Davis is among at least 51 people arrested in an undercover operation at the ATF’s Bandit Trading pawn shop.