MEET The TEAM

Brent is a former police officer from the City of Huron Police Department. During his time at Huron, he was assigned as a Detective at the Erie County Drug Task Force, where he worked narcotics for most of his career. Brent has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business and an Associate Degree in Criminal Justice. He’s also a Certified NRA Instructor and has been teaching CHL for more than 10 years. Brent is our fearless leader, the President and owner of Lake Erie Arms. He opened the store in 2014. More important than all this, Brent is a father to 2 beautiful girls; Rylee (age 11) and Cora (age 7). As Brent says, he’s been married to his wife Katie for a “LONG time.”

“Thank you to all our loyal customers, we couldn’t do what we do without you! We look forward to the future!!”

Jim West is a lifetime resident of Erie County and currently lives in Huron with his wife Kayla and two daughters, Tomi and Austen. Jim is a Graduate of Huron High School and has a Bachelor’s degree in Finance Real Estate from Ohio University. Jim is an Insurance Broker licensed in all lines of insurance and well as a financial advisor. He is also an active Real Estate Broker in the State of Ohio. Jim and his wife also own and operate a few restaurant’s in the area. Jim enjoys hunting and sporting clays. Jim and his wife Kayla are avid travelers in their time off.

Randy served 30 years in law enforcement. He started his career at Cedar Point PD then moved to Huron PD where he worked as a patrol officer, Erie County Drug Task Force investigator, and ultimately the Chief of Police. He is an FBI National Academy graduate, Ohio Peace Officer instructor, firearms instructor, NRA-certified firearms instructor. Randy currently teaches our CCW classes and Personal Defense lessons.

Monty is an NRA-certified firearms instructor and has been with Lake Erie Arms from the beginnning providing range instruction for our CCW classes and Individualized training. Monty is retired from the City of Huron, where he served as a firefighter and EMT.

Thom is a 42 year law enforcement veteran. He started his career at the Dekalb, IL. Police Department, where he served 8 years as a Patrolman, Detective and Tactical Team Member. Thom joined the FBI in 1986, where he served as a Special Agent. Specialties and certifications included 26 years as a Tactical Team Operator/Sniper, 17 years as a Firearms Instructor, Defensive Tactics Instructor, Master Police Trainer, Tactical Instructor and Evidence Response Team Member.

Since his retirement from the FBI in 2013 after 28 years of service, Thom has served as a Reserve Officer at the Sandusky Police Department and currently serves as a part time Deputy Sheriff in Erie County, where he has been the Special Response Team Commander/Advisor.

Thom is an NRA-certified firearms instructor and will be teaching firearms for Lake Erie Arms.

J.R. began his Law Enforcement career in 1975, working as a General Criminalist and Crime Scene Investigator at the Springfield Regional Crime Laboratory, Springfield (Ohio) Police Department. In 1979, he accepted a position as Firearms/ Toolmark Examiner at the Charlotte North Carolina PD in the Charlotte/Mecklenberg Crime Laboratory. In 1984, J.R. became a Special Agent with the FBI. His first assignment was the Minneapolis Division, where he worked on the Reactive squad, conducting investigations under the Violent Crimes/Major Offenders Program. While there, he became active in Crime Scene Investigations, General Police Instruction, the SWAT Team, and became an FBI-certified Firearms Instructor. In 1990, the FBI transferred him to the FBI Crime Laboratory in Washington, DC, where he became a Supervisor in the Firearms/Toolmark Unit (FTU) of the Laboratory. While assigned to the FTU, he traveled worldwide, as well as to every state in the United States, providing expert testimony in numerous trials concerning evidence which he analyzed in the FTU, as well as performing collateral duties in Crime Scene Investigations, Police Instruction, and Firearms Training. He was a Senior Resident Agent in Mansfield before transferring to the Cleveland Division’s Special Operations Group, where he stayed until his retirement in 2010. He was a Firearms Instructor with the FBI until his retirement date. J.R. is an NRA-certified firearms instructor and will be teaching firearms and CCW classes for Lake Erie Arms.

Jon has over 33 years of law enforcement experience, including 22 years as a Regional Swat Team leader. He is a current State certified Firearms and Defensive instructor.  Jon retired in 2017 as a Police Detective and currently holds a Sheriffs Special Deputy commission. 

Jon served in the United States Army and conducted Special Operations as an Army Ranger with the 1 St. Ranger 75th Regiment and served in 2004 with the Ohio National Guard.

Jon has over 40 years Martial arts experience, holding three black belt rankings and he operates a karate school in Bellevue, Ohio. 

Jon will be teaching basic and advanced self-defense classes for children to adults, as well as Firearms  training for Lake Erie Arms.

Ron has served as a security team member for Firelands Regional Medical Center as well as an officer with the Sandusky Police Department, both as a patrolman and as a Sergeant.  He oversaw the department’s Use of Force Policies, teaching in-service Defensive Tactics (Hands-on, TASER, ASP, Pepper Spray, etc.), monitoring and cataloging uses of force by Officers, and served as Commander of the department’s Special Response Team. Ron also served as a Military Police Officer in the United States ARMY.  He is trained in Shotokan Martial Arts, with cross training in a number of different Martial Arts systems, training with some very high ranked Sensei and Masters.  He also currently teaches at both the Sandusky Police and EHOVE’s Police Academies.