1) He was a licensed weapon dealer. He could get something called a LEO demonstration letter from a PD department. He could buy a dealer sample firearm (for example a full auto MP5) for factory prices and "show" it to PD's department as a sample (if they wanted to buy one). Larry would then be able to keep the sample gun and resell the parts for the actual market price. Larry could buy it for around $1500 bucks factory and resell the parts for a fully automatic transferrable MP5 that costs around +$45,000. He and the PD would pocket the money, and there wasn't any legit reason for the demonstration.
Yeah yeah yeah, that's what I was talking about! My dad explained it to me before, I was just fuzzy on the details.
2) He wanted the blueprints for the AK-12 from the Kalashnikov concern (Yes, that one) to be able to make AK-12's in America with a shell company, and then give back to Kalashikov some of the profits. Also tried to get parts for the AN-94.
I mean, I'd love to
legitimately acquire an AK-12, but I don't want one bad enough to commit espionage and possible treason. Besides, Kalashnikov USA is
totally not related to Kalashnikov Concern whatsoever.
If it was just number 1) I think he wouldn't be in such deep shit.
Eh, he would still be in deep shit, just more ATF-style "deep shit" for abusing one of the few exemptions to the NFA. Most people who're aware of this think he's based as fuck for exploiting it anyway...
But 2) is literally James Bond minion level of crime. Imagine if a Russian ex-Spetsnaz went to the US to work with Colt's Manufacturing, to make authentic M4's in a shell Russian company in Russia and give back to Colt in the US part of the profits.
...and this is just stupid, to be frank. If all he did was say "I want the blueprints to the AK-12 because I want to make them in the USA for private sales!", and then acquired them (legitimately or illegitimately) from Kalashnikov Concern, with every intention of ONLY himself profiting off selling them to private citizens in America, then all he'd have done was commit industrial espionage against a Russian company...which I doubt the Feds would give a shit about. At most, they'd probably want their own copy of the blueprints and functional examples for field tests so they could see what Russia's newest rifle can do.
But when he's basically being a bitch boy for a Russian company and doing work for them, when the USA has basically ceased
any major economic dealings with Russia,
and he's quite possibly committing treason along the way (since, y'know, I bet those blueprints weren't bought with money...), the Feds are going to rake his ass over the coals and fry his ballsack.
Regardless of political opinion, that stuff would get you prosecuted harshly in almost all countries.
Let's be honest, in the reverse situation you presented, that Russian guy would be facing execution. Vickers getting to spend the rest of his life in "Pound Me In The Ass" Federal Prison is pretty damn merciful compared to what some other countries would do.