A 59-year-old Brownsville man says buying his dream gun from a pawn shop turned into a nightmare after learning it was reported stolen.

Now he says he's learned his lesson.

“I was shocked; I couldn't believe it,” Jerome Crockett said.

Crockett bought a Glock 17 for nearly $300 at a Brownsville pawn shop earlier this year. Weeks later, the gun was seized by deputies with the Cameron County Sheriff's Office during a traffic stop involving Crockett’s son last month.

“This individual was pulled over for a traffic stop,” Cameron County Sheriff Manuel Treviño said. “During the interview of the driver, that's when they located the weapon. They ran a serial number on the weapon, and it turned out to be stolen.”

Treviño says the handgun was reported stolen out of San Antonio.

“The officers at the scene made contact with [Crockett] and he brought proof that the weapon had been purchased at a pawn shop, and that's why he was not arrested,” Treviño said.

Investigators later learned the original owner from San Antonio had pawned the weapon multiple times and later reported it stolen himself.

“I have a feeling this individual just forgot that he had actually pawned it and then went and reported it stolen,” Treviño said.

The sheriff believes the gun was reported stolen after it was sold to Crockett. Channel 5 News was told the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is now working to clear the weapon before it can be returned to Crockett.

“Since the weapon was pawned legally and this individual did not steal the handgun and the homeowner or the actual owner of the weapon pawned it voluntarily, more than likely the weapon will be returned to the individual who bought it this time,” Treviño said.

Crockett said the experience already changed the way he'll buy guns in the future. He said he plans to return the weapon to the pawn shop and ask for a refund once the gun is returned to him.

“I can't deal with a pawn shop like that no more,” Crockett said. “When I go purchase something like that again, it's going to be from a store like Academy.”