Las Vegas NowMore Legal Wrangling in Front Sight Class Action Lawsuit

More Legal Wrangling in Front Sight Class Action Lawsuit

There's more legal wrangling in a class action lawsuit against a local gun training facility. A judge has approved, at least preliminarily, the terms of another settlement.

This is the second shot at reconciliation between the Front Sight Firearms Training Institute near Pahrump and the members suing it.

The first settlement fell apart when the sale of the facility failed to close escrow. The second deal now on the table could mean millions for members.

Stipulation Against Further Encumbering Defendants' Property

Class Action: [Proposed] Order Preliminary Approving Settlement

In 2001, Bill Haag bought into a home on the gun range for $175,000. Haag purchased a membership at the Front Sight Firearms Training Institute to include a one-acre homesite.

Five years later the retired engineer has an attorney, instead of a house. Haag, along with two other members, filed a class action lawsuit alleging fraud, racketeering and misappropriation of funds.

Attorney Keith Greer said, "Those people's money was used to get this operation up and going and they want that back."

Haag may get it if a judge approves the latest deal to end the lawsuit. The I-Team has learned Front Sight has agreed to pay $8 million to settle the case plus an additional 20-percent of its monthly revenue to a capital improvement fund to maintain the facility.

The class action representatives are Front Sight members who want Front Sight to survive.   Greer has identified 4,200 potential class members who should receive notice by mail in the coming weeks. It's unclear how many may receive a cash payment though platinum members, like Haag, are expected to get some money back.

Although Haag's dream of a home on the range may never see daylight, Front Sight founder Ignatius Piazza will retain control of the training facility. Under the terms of the settlement, he and the corporation admit no wrongdoing.  

The attorney for Front Sight released this statement late Tuesday.

"Although Front Sight knows that the vast majority of its thousands of members do not support the actions of a few disgruntled members who have orchestrated this lawsuit, Front Sight is settling the suit to take advantage of all the opportunities that 2007 presents with the January release of Front Sight's new Reality TV series entitled Front Sight Challenge and the upcoming sale and development of Front Sight's master planned community property. 2007 looks to be Front Sight's biggest and best year to date," Attorney Rick Williams said.

None of this is a done deal yet. However, Attorney Keith Greer tells the I-Team, so far, things appear to moving forward.

The next hearing is scheduled for the end of February at which time the judge may approve the settlement.

At the last hearing the judge temporarily suspended membership sales when Front Sight failed to live up to the previous settlement.

You can post your comments on Channel 8's Front Sight blog.