Federal firearms sting/arrest in Salem

[Swedish K]

Hmmm.
My experience with the feds: they do their homework. If they bust you and bring charges, they have evidence, they can clearly demonstrate culpability, and they think they will win. A numbers game.

If he or Blackwater have broken rules, nail 'em to the wall and hang bowling balls from their scrotums. People like this are contributing factors to why we have SB941 and lawmakers considering further restrictions. The general public is uninformed and scared, and if they perceive firearm sales are like the fox guarding the hen house, we are going to get even more.

If you are referring to the postal inspectors I would agree - they do their homework and their cases have the highest conviction rate of any federal agency - over 90%.

If you are talking about the ATF I would beg to differ. A friend was raided about 6 years ago after a "junior G man" over ambitious field agent bought a non firearm M-60 channel from him and decided it was an illegal sale of a NFA item. The raid team included multiple federal and local agencies and about 15 minutes after they arrived the pizza delivery guy showed up with a 5 foot tall stack of pizzas for the raid team. Several months later he received letters from ATF tech branch stating that (as he knew) none of the items the raid warrant was based on were illegal or even firearms - though they didn't bother to return any of his seized inventory.
Along comes the Sandy Hook shooting and criticism of attempts to pass new gun laws when they don't bother to enforce the ones on the books so the current administration instructed ATF to press charges on every open investigation they might get a conviction from. So a few days before Christmas that year they arrest him, book him, and haul him directly to court charging him with 14 federal firearms felonies, many NFA based. ATF refused to release much of the evidence in discovery and 3 prosecutors, 4 ATF representatives later, a month or two ago they finally come to the realization that he is a responsible party on an FFL and is licensed for everything they brought charges on. That not making them happy as it doesn't justify the tens of thousands of dollars wasted on the investigation they push for probation for storing "in excess of one pound of gunpowder" within 75 feet of an inhabited dwelling.

Another case I recall was at the big Reno gun show - short version. An FFL holder had several tables and his buddy who did not have an FFL had a table next to him with several private sale guns. ATF undercover tried to buy a gun from the guy with out of state ID and he said no. The FFL was watching his table for him when he went to lunch when ATF undercover came back with another guy with NV ID and offered to pay asking price on one of the guns so he took the cash for his friend. They arrested him for "knowingly selling to a straw purchaser" and selling guns off the books.


Sorry - after having an FFL and seeing this as well as several inept / incompetent / bogus or otherwise set-up cases I have little faith in the system being fair, especially in the last 5-8 years.

 

[dobeman]

I don't know about YOU, Jim, but I fully intend to be buried with my guns... all of them. They'll need a forklift assisted pallbearer rig too... and I'm only 210lbs.

I got you beat. I'm about 170lbs on a good day, but I'm buying two plots just for me and my stuff. My wife will be third down in the row.

 

[dobeman]

If you are referring to the postal inspectors I would agree - they do their homework and their cases have the highest conviction rate of any federal agency - over 90%.

If you are talking about the ATF I would beg to differ. A friend was raided about 6 years ago after a "junior G man" over ambitious field agent bought a non firearm M-60 channel from him and decided it was an illegal sale of a NFA item. The raid team included multiple federal and local agencies and about 15 minutes after they arrived the pizza delivery guy showed up with a 5 foot tall stack of pizzas for the raid team. Several months later he received letters from ATF tech branch stating that (as he knew) none of the items the raid warrant was based on were illegal or even firearms - though they didn't bother to return any of his seized inventory.
Along comes the Sandy Hook shooting and criticism of attempts to pass new gun laws when they don't bother to enforce the ones on the books so the current administration instructed ATF to press charges on every open investigation they might get a conviction from. So a few days before Christmas that year they arrest him, book him, and haul him directly to court charging him with 14 federal firearms felonies, many NFA based. ATF refused to release much of the evidence in discovery and 3 prosecutors, 4 ATF representatives later, a month or two ago they finally come to the realization that he is a responsible party on an FFL and is licensed for everything they brought charges on. That not making them happy as it doesn't justify the tens of thousands of dollars wasted on the investigation they push for probation for storing "in excess of one pound of gunpowder" within 75 feet of an inhabited dwelling.

Another case I recall was at the big Reno gun show - short version. An FFL holder had several tables and his buddy who did not have an FFL had a table next to him with several private sale guns. ATF undercover tried to buy a gun from the guy with out of state ID and he said no. The FFL was watching his table for him when he went to lunch when ATF undercover came back with another guy with NV ID and offered to pay asking price on one of the guns so he took the cash for his friend. They arrested him for "knowingly selling to a straw purchaser" and selling guns off the books.


Sorry - after having an FFL and seeing this as well as several inept / incompetent / bogus or otherwise set-up cases I have little faith in the system being fair, especially in the last 5-8 years.

can't recall who to credit this to, but something along the lines of "when the people fear the government you have tyranny".

 

[rusobr2]

"titsonritz" ........ i'v made it a point to see a couple "ODL's" over the yrs.

steven

 

[rusobr2]

couple of things i'v picked up on over the yrs. ...... though we may posses an "arsenal" of guns, for when SHTF for real ....... best to be cool with "ATF" as most here don't have the arsenal of "money" they have to work with ...... !

 

[U8395279]

I got you beat. I'm about 170lbs on a good day, but I'm buying two plots just for me and my stuff. My wife will be third down in the row.

The 90 year old man talked about in this news video below was a class act. In 2009, he was buried inside his classic Pontiac that he loved, together with his entire gun collection, which was also placed inside the car with him.

 

[rusobr2]

I'm not sure what you are getting at here???

you sir are 1 up ...

 

[Who The F R U]

To quote SwedeK
"Seeing this as well as several inept / incompetent / bogus or otherwise set-up cases I have little faith in the system being fair, especially in the last 5-8 years."

100% correct, If you have a FFL you have a 10 ring on your Arse nowadays.

I can tell you that if Mikey from ATF gets involved it's a one time Q+A. , You better have the correct legal answer.
The second time he comes you are going to get hammered.

Mike and Leland are the Goon Squad

 

[Who The F R U]

The 90 year old man talked about in this news video below was a class act. In 2009, he was buried inside his classic Pontiac that he loved, together with his entire gun collection, which was also placed inside the car with him.

Did you guys notice someone stole his rim's ??

 

[U8395279]

Did you guys notice someone stole his rim's ??

I doubt that rims are necessary when driving around in Heaven.

I sure hope that God will let us shoot guns in Heaven.
.

 

[Khalsa]

Who is playing games? Did you even look? Emblem

That link doesn't work. It shows error... Could you please just tell us his name on NW Firearms?

 

[U8395279]

That link doesn't work. It shows error... Could you please just tell us his name on NW Firearms?

The name is right there in his post. It was Emblem

 

[Khalsa]

Aha I'm just re reading the article and noticed that. Thanks