New York State

ALBANY, New York --(Ammoland.com)- “Operation Background Bust” Shows Blatant Disregard for Gun Show Laws Requiring Background Checks

Vendors Sold Guns to Customers Who Disclosed They Had Orders of Protections Against Them – Fully Knowing They Couldn’t Pass a Background Check

AG Calls On Lawmakers to Address ‘Accountability-Gap’ in Gun Show Law

Schneiderman: Illegal Sales at Gun Shows Endanger the Public by Giving Felons, Terrorists and the Dangerously Mentally Ill an Open and Anonymous Marketplace to Buy Guns Without a Background Check

Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today announced that his office has filed criminal charges against 10 gun sellers from across New York State who violated the state’s background check requirement for the sale of firearms at gun shows. This investigation exposed both a flagrant and dangerous disregard of the law that jeopardizes the public’s safety and the need to immediately strengthen the state’s existing gun show laws to better protect all New Yorkers.

As a result of the investigation Schneiderman’s office is also sending out cease and desist letters to gun show operators based upon the violations found to date. The letters direct them to comply with the law and to cease practices that permit gun sales without background checks. Additionally, later today the Attorney General will issue subpoenas to several gun show operators seeking documentation and testimony related to the respective gun show events. The Attorney General’s investigation is ongoing.

“The illegal sale of guns at gun shows endangers the public by giving felons, terrorists and the dangerously mentally ill an open and anonymous marketplace to buy guns without a background check. Our investigators found a blatant disregard for the law where sellers made the conscious decision to sell deadly weapons to individuals who admitted they would not pass a background check,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “Operation Background Bust not only exposed major flaws in the gun show laws but also proved how ‘off the books’ operations jeopardize public safety by making it easy for guns to fall into the wrong hands. In addition to filing criminal charges against the sellers, and demanding that the gun show operators cease and desist from engaging in illegal practices, my office plans to work with the Legislature to hold gun show operators liable when guns are sold at their gun shows without the required background check. “

The Attorney General’s eight-month investigation into the practices of vendors at gun shows throughout the State revealed that on many occasions, weapons sellers at gun shows failed to ensure that a National Instant Criminal Background (NICS) check was conducted on the prospective gun buyer, as required by state law. These illegal sales, classified as misdemeanors, took place even after undercover investigators told the gun sellers that they had orders of protection against them and could not pass a background check.

The investigation further exposed a gap in current law which holds only the individual gun seller, not the gun show operator, legally accountable for failing to ensure that a background check on the prospective gun purchaser has been conducted. As the investigation clearly revealed, this “honor system” for conducting background checks at gun shows is not working and must be supplemented with a system that also holds the gun show operator liable when a gun sale takes place without the required NICS background check.

Beginning in March of this year, undercover officers from the Attorney General’s office purchased weapons from sellers at gun shows in Erie, Genesee, Saratoga, Schoharie, Suffolk and Washington counties. The 10 defendants charged today chose to sell a firearm to the undercover officer with brazen disregard for the required NICS background check. Typically, the undercover investigator told the seller that he had an order of protection against him and would not be able to pass a background check.

NICS background checks are required for all gun purchases at gun shows throughout the State, as provided by General Business Law §897. A person who fails a NICS background check is ineligible to purchase or possess a gun under federal law.

Persons prohibited under federal law from purchasing or possessing a gun include those who:

* Have been convicted of a felony * Have been adjudicated a “mental defective” or committed to a mental institution * Are unlawful users of or addicted to a controlled substance * Being an alien, are illegally or unlawfully in the U.S. * Are subject to a court order that restrains the person from harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner or child of such intimate partner * Have been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence; or * Have been dishonorably discharged from the U.S. Armed Forces

The NICS background check requirement was put in place in New York to prevent these types of individuals from obtaining a gun at a gun show, where typically hundreds of guns are bought and sold. Failure to perform such a background check is a Class A misdemeanor.

To facilitate the conducting of NICS background checks, gun show operators in New York are required to post signs giving notice of the background check requirement, as well as have a terminal inside the show where, by either phone or computer, a prospective purchaser’s name and information can be cross-checked against the national NICS database which contains individuals who would be disqualified from purchasing a firearm for the reasons above.

The Attorney General’s investigation found lax compliance with the notice requirements by gun show operators. On some occasions, sellers agreed to sell the weapon to the undercover officer and then left the premises of the gun show in an attempt to evade the background check requirement by selling the firearm in a location other than the gun show itself. However, this conduct is also illegal under General Business Law §897.

New York’s background check requirement for all gun show sales was enacted in 2000 in an effort to prevent potentially dangerous individuals, including felons and the seriously mentally ill, from having easy access to firearms in the State. By ignoring the background check requirement, the sellers charged today are accused of putting a firearm in the hands of a buyer who, in violation of law, has not been determined to be legally eligible to possess that weapon.

The 10 charged defendants are: David Cox – Stillwater, Saratoga County Michael Ferrara – Saratoga Springs, Saratoga County Daniel Heinsler – Waterport, Orleans County Dan Kowalczewski – Cheektowaga, Erie County Alexander Lasurdo – Wading River, Suffolk County John Malinowski – Waterford, Saratoga County Sam Savino- North Bellmore, Nassau County William Smith – Corfu, Genesee County Christopher Sterling – Alden, Erie County Peter Tric – Kingston, Ulster County

The Gun Shows examined as a part of this investigation include: May 14 – Hamburg (Erie County) May 20 – Greenwich (Washington County) June 19 – Alexander (Genesee County) July 16 – Cobleskill (Schoharie County) August 27 – Saratoga Springs (Saratoga County) September 24 – Hauppauge (Suffolk County)

The gun types included: 3 AR-15 (Assault Rifles) 1 semi-automatic rifle called a “Mauser” (from Czech Republic) 1 Savage 7mm Rifle 1 Remington Model 710 1 Colt 7.72 x39 1 Enfield Military rifle 1 Browning .22 cal, model 235 1 Ithaca .22 gauge 1 Remington 25.06

Each defendant is charged with a Class A Misdemeanor, Failure to Conduct a Background Check at a Gun Show.

The Attorney General’s office also intends to work with lawmakers to impose gun sale monitoring obligations on operators to help ensure that the current NICS-check requirement at gun shows is not being flouted, and impose enhanced liability on operators who fail to comply with those stricter monitoring requirements.

“New York leads the nation with a tough law that requires background checks for all sales at gun shows,” said New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. “But the Attorney General’s important investigation shows that tough laws need tough enforcement. I applaud Attorney General Schneiderman for sending the message that sellers at gun shows need to obey the law and do their part to keep communities safe.”

“When gun show vendors purposely subvert the law and illegally sell a firearm, they endanger all of us,” Westchester District Attorney Janet DiFiore, President of the District Attorneys Association of the State of New York. “I fully support Attorney General Schneiderman’s crackdown on this illegal conduct.”

“While enforcement actions like this are essential, Attorney General Schneiderman is right that more needs to be done to ensure that gun show sellers comply with the background check law and that our laws are improved to make our state even safer,” State Senator Jose Peralta said. “I look forward to working with the Attorney General to address this critical public safety issue.”

“Gun shows are a notorious source of illegal guns, and anything we can do to reduce trafficking is integral to public safety,” Richard Aborn, President of Citizens Crime Commission of NYC. “Attorney General Schneiderman is a longtime champion of sensible gun laws, and played a critical role in passing the background check law that these sellers were violating. So it’s no surprise that he is vigorously enforcing the law, and supporting efforts to strengthen it. This is exactly the kind of leadership we need to protect the people of New York from senseless gun violence.”

“We commend Attorney General Schneiderman, not only for cracking down on violators of the gun show background check law, but for his forceful advocacy to strengthen the law,” Jackie Hilly, Executive Director of New Yorkers Against Gun Violence, said. “The legislature should listen to our state’s top law enforcement officer by closing the terror gap and holding gun show operators accountable for widespread violations of the law that put our communities in danger.”

“Thank you, Attorney General Schneiderman, for reining in irresponsible gun sellers who are putting our communities at risk just to make a profit,” Reverend Dr. Calvin O. Butts, III, The Abyssinian Baptist Church, said. “Too many young lives are lost every year because deadly weapons get in to the wrong hands.

“Background checks are intended to prevent seriously dangerous individuals from purchasing guns: felons, individuals under orders of protection for domestic violence, people who have been adjudicated to be too mentally unstable to own a gun,” New York Urban League President Arva Rice said. “That these sellers would deliberately bypass the background check is as appalling as it is dangerous. Attorney General Schneiderman is making our communities safer by holding irresponsible gun sellers accountable.”

The charges are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in the court of law.

This case is being handled and prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Thomas Schellhammer and Assistant Attorney General In-Charge of the Rochester Regional Office Debra Martin under the Supervision of Executive Deputy Attorney General for Criminal Prosecution, Nancy Hoppock and Executive Deputy Attorney General for Regional Affairs, Martin J. Mack.

NRA News

Fairfax, VA --(Ammoland.com)- NRA-News is a valued partner that continues to cover breaking gun rights news with a new and improved short video format in the “NRA News Minute” videos.

To view the current firearms or gun rights news video, please click above:

Cam Edwards talks to Tom Stilson from BigGovernment.com about the leak of US Military guns through the Mexican Government to the Mexican Drug Cartels.

Read More on these topics:

• Gun Control Gone Plumb Loko – A. Barton Hinkle & Cam Edwards
• Mexico Considering Suing USA Gun Manufacturers & Distributors
• Mexico’s Gun Problem Originating from Southern Boarder Not USA

About:
Established in 1871, the National Rifle Association is America’s oldest civil rights and sportsmen’s group. Four million members strong, NRA continues its mission to uphold Second Amendment rights and to advocate enforcement of existing laws against violent offenders to reduce crime. The Association remains the nation’s leader in firearm education and training for law-abiding gun owners, law enforcement and the military. Visit: www.nra.org

National Shooting Sports Foundation

NEWTOWN, Conn --(Ammoland.com)- As part of an ongoing national effort to help prevent illegal “straw” purchases of firearms, the National Shooting Sports Foundation brings a stern warning about the stiff penalties for such purchases to Times Square in the heart of New York City.

An advertisement for the Don’t Lie for the Other Guy program has been placed by NSSF on the giant 18 by 34-foot screen that is an icon of Times Square, dominating the corners of 7th and 8th Avenues at 42nd Street.

The message reads: “Buy a gun for someone who can’t and buy yourself 10 years in jail. Whatever you do . . . Don’t Lie for the Other Guy . . . dontlie.org”

Shooting Industry Goes to 'The Big Apple' to Warn of Illegal Gun Purchases

More than 365,000 pedestrians walk through the “Great White Way” on any given day, making this a coveted spot for any public-education message campaign.

“Don’t Lie” is a cooperative program between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and NSSF, the trade association for the firearms and ammunition industry. The effort was developed over a decade ago to raise public awareness about the seriousness of the crime of purchasing a firearm for someone who cannot legally do so. The program also helps ATF educate firearms dealers so they can be better prepared to detect and help deter potential straw purchases.

The campaign drives home the message that anyone attempting an illegal firearm purchase faces a stiff federal felony penalty of up to 10 years in jail or up to $250,000 in fines.

To legally purchase a firearm, a person must be able to pass an FBI National Instant Criminal Background Check and fully comply with state and local laws. When a criminal knows he cannot pass this check, he may try to induce a friend to make the purchase on his behalf, which is known as a straw purchase and is a felony.

“Our goal is to raise awareness among New Yorkers and tourists coming into the city that there are serious consequences for illegally straw purchasing a firearm,” said Stephen L. Sanetti, NSSF’s president and CEO. “This warning can help deter an illegal purchase long before a person steps into a licensed retail store, and we have run similar notices all across the nation.”

The huge pedestrian crowds that are drawn to the Times Square area’s theaters, shops and attractions will see the Don’t Lie message. Many travelers using the Port Authority bus terminal just half a block from the giant video screen also will see the warning.

This public awareness campaign in New York City constitutes only part of the Don’t Lie for the Other Guy outreach effort. The full Don’t Lie for the Other Guy program, which also involves educating firearms retailers to better detect and prevent straw purchases, has been rolled out in major cities throughout the country and along the U.S.-Mexican border. This is a campaign that ATF has called “vital” and “an important tool for ATF as it pursues its mission of preventing terrorism, reducing violent crime, and protecting the nation.” In the retailer segment, federal firearms licensees are provided a Don’t Lie for the Other Guy retailer kit. Each kit contains a training video and informational brochure for storeowners and staff, as well as point-of-purchase displays aimed to deter illegal straw purchases.

The promotion of the Don’t Lie for the Other Guy message in Times Sqaure is being funded by the firearms industry.

“The firearms industry is proud of its longstanding cooperative relationship with the ATF and the entire law enforcement community by assisting them in their efforts to combat the criminal acquisition and misuse of firearms,” said NSSF Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF’s senior vice president and general counsel. “We are happy to make the complete Don’t Lie for the Other Guy program available to New York City and the surrounding area.”

Learn more about Don’t Lie for the Other Guy at www.dontlie.org.

About NSSF
The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearms industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of more than 6,000 manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers. For more information, log on to www.nssf.org.

NSSF is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2011. Learn about the Foundation’s history at www.nssf.org/50.

NRA News

Fairfax, VA --(Ammoland.com)- NRA-News is a valued partner that continues to cover breaking gun rights news with a new and improved short video format in the “NRA News Minute” videos.

Cam Edwards talks to Deborah Simmons, columnist for The Washington Times on the recent announcements by Washington DC Police Chief blaming violence on legal gun owners.

To view the current firearms or gun rights news video, please click above:

Read More on these topics:

• Baseball Bat Sales for Self Defense Soar 6500% After UK Riots
• Bloomberg Predicts NYC Riots; How Do People Defend Themselves
• Washington, DC Gun Owners Appeal Cumbersome Firearms Restrictions

About:
Established in 1871, the National Rifle Association is America’s oldest civil rights and sportsmen’s group. Four million members strong, NRA continues its mission to uphold Second Amendment rights and to advocate enforcement of existing laws against violent offenders to reduce crime. The Association remains the nation’s leader in firearm education and training for law-abiding gun owners, law enforcement and the military. Visit: www.nra.org

National Rifle Association

FAIRFAX, Va. --(Ammoland.com)- While Congress investigates the involvement of federal law enforcement agents in the “Fast and Furious” Mexican gun trafficking scandal, Business Week reports that five current and three retired New York City police officers, along with a former New Jersey corrections officer and three other individuals, have been charged with trafficking M16s, handguns and shotguns – some with defaced serial numbers – as part of a $1 million scheme.

Covering the same story, the New York Times noted that “the arrests come at a difficult time” for the NYPD, because another several dozen of its officers are already accused or are likely to face charges of planting drugs, lying under oath, violating the civil rights of innocent victims, and fixing traffic tickets.

The slew of arrests also comes at a difficult time for the rest of the city. While the nation’s murder rate decreased five percent between 2009 and 2010, in New York City — where gun ownership is severely restricted – it increased 15 percent. Still moving in the wrong direction, thus far in 2011, the number of shooting victims in the city is slightly higher than during the same period last year.

And during a weeklong period earlier this month, the number of people shot there rose 154 percent over the 2010 tally.

Billionaire Michael Bloomberg, whose hobbies include being the mayor of New York City and heading the anti-gun group Mayors Against Illegal Guns, claimed at the end of 2009 that New York was “the safest big city in America.” Three months later, however, it became known that the city had experienced a 20 percent increase in murders while murders were declining elsewhere in America. Improvising with the best of them, Bloomberg blamed the city’s sorry trend on budget cuts reducing the police department’s manpower. However, data reported by the FBI showed that compared to other cities of over one million population, New York had more police officers per capita than Los Angeles, Houston, Phoenix Las Vegas, San Antonio, San Diego, and Dallas, and about the same number as Chicago and Philadelphia.

All of those cities, save Chicago, have much less restrictive firearm laws than New York, of course. And five of the eight are in states that have “shall issue” Right-to-Carry permit laws. Lest permit holders who live in states other than New York become eligible to carry in the Empire State and its Big Apple, Bloomberg opposes H.R. 822, Rep. Cliff Stearns’ National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act. Bloomberg, who wants Congress to prohibit private sales of firearms in states where the legislatures steadfastly refuse to do so, says “When it comes to public safety, Congress has no business telling states, cities and police how to do their jobs.”

Obviously, he thinks that’s a job best left to him.

About:
Established in 1871, the National Rifle Association is America’s oldest civil rights and sportsmen’s group. Four million members strong, NRA continues its mission to uphold Second Amendment rights and to advocate enforcement of existing laws against violent offenders to reduce crime. The Association remains the nation’s leader in firearm education and training for law-abiding gun owners, law enforcement and the military. Visit: www.nra.org

CCRKBA.org

BELLEVUE, WA – -(Ammoland.com)- While Michael Bloomberg has been running around blaming gun laws in other states for his city’s crime problems, eight New York City police officers were allegedly involved in a gun smuggling operation “right under his nose,” the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms said today.

Reuters reported that eight officers have been charged in connection with the case. All were working in Brooklyn, and according to the District Attorney’s office, they “exploited their experience and credentials to assist in a variety of schemes involving the illegal interstate transportation…” of guns, cigarettes, counterfeit goods and slot machines, the news agency said.

“If I were a member of Bloomberg’s Mayors Against Illegal Guns,” said CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb, “I’d say it was time for Bloomberg to mind his own business. While he was busily suing legitimate gun dealers all over the country and going on television to brag about it, he should have been paying closer attention to what was happening in his own back yard. After all, it was his city employees that have been charged in this illegal gun trafficking scheme.”

Gottlieb said Tuesday’s revelation clearly underscores what is wrong with Mayor Bloomberg’s relentless campaign to “erode gun rights through the demagoguery of public office.”

“Bloomberg’s fiasco is steeped in irony,” Gottlieb continued, “because this New York gun trafficking operation was happening right under the mayor’s nose, and he didn’t even know about it. He was paying too much attention to telling everyone else what was wrong with their gun laws, when he couldn’t even keep his own cops from breaking the gun laws he thinks should be used as a model all over the country

“It may be time for Bloomberg to stop looking everywhere else for gun trafficking activity and focus his attention closer to home,” he observed. “It’s pretty hard to accuse citizens in other states of feeding New York’s illegal gun trade when some of Bloomberg’s own cops appear to be up to their badges in it.”

With more than 650,000 members and supporters nationwide, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms is one of the nation’s premier gun rights organizations. As a non-profit organization, the Citizens Committee is dedicated to preserving firearms freedoms through active lobbying of elected officials and facilitating grass-roots organization of gun rights activists in local communities throughout the United States. The Citizens Committee can be reached by phone at (425) 454-4911, on the Internet at www.ccrkba.org or by email to InformationRequest@ccrkba.org.

Virginia Citizens Defense League

New York, NY --(Ammoland.com)- So Mayor Michael “Only police should have guns”…?

Bloomberg has some explaining to do.

EIGHT current and former police officers from New York City have just been arrested for smuggling M-16 MACHINE GUNS, OVER A DOZEN HANDGUNS, SHOTGUNS, all with serial numbers removed!

Funny, could Mayor Bloomberg be in on it. You know: Operation Fast and Furious envy?

But, now that I think about it, such gun running would allow Bloomberg to continue to point his finger at Virginia, while piously screaming that we need more gun control at federal levels.

But talk about bad timing – a “study” on gun trafficking was released today, of all days, and the author, Brian Knight, concludes that we need more federal laws to keep guns from being smuggled to New York!

I’ll bet Brian is slapping his head saying, “Doh!’

Here is a story on the gun-smuggling police officers: From the N.Y. Times: http://tinyurl.com/3lnetsp

8 Officers Charged With Gun Trafficking in U.S. Corruption Case

By WILLIAM K. RASHBAUM
Eight current and former New York Police Department officers were arrested early Tuesday on federal charges including gun trafficking and conspiracy to smuggle cigarettes, according to people briefed on the case.

The charges allege that the officers — five are still on the force and three are retired — were involved in illegally transporting more than a dozen handguns as well as M-16 assault rifles and shotguns and a variety of stolen property, the people briefed on the case said. The officers, along with a former New Jersey correction officer and three civilians, were arrested at their homes before sunrise by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and investigators from the Police Department’s Internal Affairs Bureau, the people said.

The gun-trafficking allegations strike at the heart of one of the New York Police Department’s most hard-fought and robust initiatives, and one that has been a central theme of the administration of Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg: getting guns off the street of New York City….[ follow the link above to read more.]

Here is an article on the “study” on gun smuggling. Perhaps the conclusion should be that we need to keep guns out of the hands of the NYC PD  http://tiny.cc/qos73

About:
Virginia Citizens Defense League, Inc. (VCDL). VCDL is an all-volunteer, non-partisan grassroots organization dedicated to defending the human rights of all Virginians. The Right to Keep and Bear Arms is a fundamental human right. Visit: www.vcdl.org

NRA News

Fairfax, VA --(Ammoland.com)- NRA-News is a valued partner that continues to cover breaking gun rights news with a new and improved short video format in the “NRA News Minute” videos.

To view the current firearms or gun rights news video, please click above:

Cam Edwards talks to Larry Keane, General Counsel for the National Shooting Sports Foundation regarding AG Eric Holder’s trying to resurrect the 90% of bad guns in Mexico comes from the USA lie.

Read More on these topics:

• Rep. Paul Gosar Responds to Attorney General Eric Holder’s F&F
• Congressman Darrell Issa to Eric Holder – You Own Fast and Furious
• Attorney General Holder Sends Letter To Fast And Furious

About:
Established in 1871, the National Rifle Association is America’s oldest civil rights and sportsmen’s group. Four million members strong, NRA continues its mission to uphold Second Amendment rights and to advocate enforcement of existing laws against violent offenders to reduce crime. The Association remains the nation’s leader in firearm education and training for law-abiding gun owners, law enforcement and the military. Visit: www.nra.org

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

WICHITA, KAN. --(Ammoland.com)- Sixty–seven defendants have been charged with federal and state crimes as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives wraps up an 11–month operation aimed at taking guns out of the hands of convicted felons, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom announced today.

Leaders of ATF, the Wichita Police Department, the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office, the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office and the Wichita Area Gun Task Force joined Grissom for a news conference to announce the indictments.

“This operation was planned for one purpose – to make Wichita safer,” Grissom said. “I believe that every weapon taken out of the hands of a convicted felon represents lives saved and violent crimes prevented.” Dozens of law enforcement officers and agents executed arrest warrants this week. Prior to the execution of arrest warrants, the operation recovered 200 firearms, including guns that had been reported stolen and sawed off shotguns, as well as cocaine, crack cocaine, Ecstasy, marijuana, methamphetamine, PCP and prescription drugs.

“We focused resources on offenders who use and provide guns for the commission of violent crimes,” Grissom said.

Federal law prohibits anyone convicted of a felony from possessing firearms or ammunition. It also prohibits drug traffickers and users of controlled substances from possessing firearms.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives worked on the investigation in conjunction with the Wichita Police Department and the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office. The Wichita Area Gun Task Force includes Wichita police officers and Sedgwick County Sheriff’s officers who work with ATF agents.

“Today’s success would not have been achieved without the commitment of our state and local partners,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael P. Gleysteen. “Together, we will continue to pursue our single goal of reducing violent crime.”

A significant number of the federal and state defendants were arrested yesterday and today. The defendants not currently in custody are considered fugitives and are being sought by members of the task force.

“This is another great example of local law enforcement teaming with our federal partners to improve public safety in our local neighborhoods,” said Deputy Chief Tom Stolz of the Wichita Police Department. “This effort will detrimentally affect one of our most active local street gangs and will directly help to reduce violence on the street. This city is lucky because the Wichita Police Department continues to enjoy a great working relationship with the United States Attorney’s Office, ATF and other federal law enforcement branches here.”

“Once again, the team approach and cooperation between the agencies have ensured that law enforcement in Sedgwick County is doing everything in their power to seek out and capture criminals,” said Sedgwick County Sheriff Robert Hinshaw. “The hard work displayed by all of the deputies, officers, and agents is a testament to their commitment to keeping our community safe.”

Federal indictments will be prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s office. The Sedgwick County District Attorney’s office will prosecute defendants charged in state district court.

A list of defendants named in federal indictments that have been unsealed so far will be made available after 3 p.m. Thursday.

Upon conviction , the alleged crimes carry the following penalties:

• Unlawful possession of a firearm after a felony conviction: A maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison without parole and a fine up to $250,000.
• Unlawful possession of a firearm by a user of controlled substances: A maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.
• Unlawful possession of a sawed off shotgun: A maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.
• Unlawfully receiving an unregistered silencer: A maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $10,000.
• Unlawful possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number: A maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.
• Unlawful transfer of a sawed off shotgun: A maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $10,000.
• Unlawful possession of a firearm by a person who is under federal indictment: A maximum penalty of five years and a fine up to $250,000.
• Unlawful possession of a firearm by a fugitive from justice: A maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.
• Distributing methamphetamine: Not less than five years and not more than 40 years and a fine up to $2 million.
• Distributing marijuana: A maximum penalty of five years and a fine up to $250,000.
• Distributing crack cocaine: A maximum penalty of twenty years and a fine up to $1 million.
• Distributing Ecstasy: A maximum penalty of 20 years and a fine up to $1 million.
• Food stamp fraud: A maximum penalty of five years and a fine up to $250,000.

The federal cases are being prosecuted by First Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Warner, Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Treaster, Assistant U.S. Attorney David Lind, Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger, Assistant U.S. Attorney Mona Furst, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart, Special AssisWe tant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Duston Slinkard. The following agencies assisted in the arrest operation: the Kansas Department of Corrections, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the Derby Police Department.

In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.

National Rifle Association

FAIRFAX, Va. --(Ammoland.com)- The Woodrow Wilson International Center, which previously accepted as fact that incredible numbers of newly purchased firearms were being smuggled from the U.S. to Mexico, has just released a report showing that the numbers have been incredibly exaggerated.

The revelation shifts the blame for Mexico’s drug cartel problem away from America’s “lax” gun laws, and squarely in the direction of Mexican officials and Central American weapons smugglers.

According to the report, Mexican President Felipe Calderon “[S]aid Mexico had seized about 90,000 arms . . . . [B]ut ATF now reports that tens of thousands of the trace requests are duplicates. In some cases, ATF has received information on the same firearm up to five times as Mexican police, a crime lab, the military, and the Attorney General’s office all write down information on the same firearm, and the individual in the Attorney General’s office in Mexico City submits trace requests on all of them. Of the remaining firearms, the Mexican government has also failed to sometimes include basic information about the firearms such as the manufacture’s serial number or the import number on many [of] these firearms.”

Furthermore, “about 26 percent of Mexico’s trace requests to the U.S. government for FY 2009 were untraceable because of serial number errors” and “75 percent of the firearms ATF was able to trace to the first purchaser in the United States were purchased more than five years ago.”

While Pres. Calderon regularly blames America for Mexico’s problem, “ATF officials . . . have sought to physically inspect firearms at crime scenes or at Mexican military storage facilities, but have had limited success, mostly because Mexican officials or the Mexican Attorney General’s office prevented such access, due in part to national sensitivities and lack of trust.”

The report also corroborates previously revealed information that “U.S. military officials also report that more than 50 percent of the military-type arms such as mortars, hand grenades, and grenade launchers discovered in [cartel] caches have crossed into Mexico most recently from Central America.”

Nevertheless, the report recommends adoption of the BATFE’s proposal to require firearm dealers in the four southwestern U.S. states to file multiple sales reports on people who buy more than one detachable-magazine semi-automatic rifle in a caliber greater than .22, including .223. It also recommends joint BATFE/ICE investigations that are focused on smuggling offenses, increased penalties for straw purchasers and, without much explanation, higher quality license plate readers on highways out of the United States.

About:
Established in 1871, the National Rifle Association is America’s oldest civil rights and sportsmen’s group. Four million members strong, NRA continues its mission to uphold Second Amendment rights and to advocate enforcement of existing laws against violent offenders to reduce crime. The Association remains the nation’s leader in firearm education and training for law-abiding gun owners, law enforcement and the military. Visit: www.nra.org

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

Washington, DC --(Ammoland.com)- David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Guy N. Thomas, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division, and Robert Nivakoff, Chief of the Stamford Police, today announced that 16 individuals have been charged with various federal offenses related to the alleged trafficking of firearms, including machine guns, and narcotics in southwestern Connecticut.

More than 100 firearms have been purchased or seized during the investigation.

On May 10, a federal grand jury sitting in New Haven returned a 20-count indictment charging a total of 15 individuals. The indictment was unsealed following the arrest of 13 defendants today. One individual also was arrested on a federal criminal complaint. Two of the defendants are in state custody on unrelated charges.

“I want to commend all of the law enforcement officers involved in this investigation,” stated U.S. Attorney Fein. “Their coordinated efforts both today and over the past several months have removed scores of dangerous weapons from the streets, disrupting what we allege to be a significant gun trafficking network.”

“We believe that ATF’s collaborative work with Stamford Police Department and our other law enforcement partners in this complex investigation, culminating in today’s safely executed operations, will have a significant impact on reducing violence and improving the quality of life for residents of Stamford and surrounding communities, stated ATF Special Agent in Charge Thomas.”

“I want to thank the ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Bridgeport Police, Norwalk Police and the Connecticut Department of Correction for their work during this investigation, which has taken many dangerous heavy weapons out of the wrong hands,” stated Stamford Police Chief Nivakoff. “We’re proud to have been involved in this operation, which now includes the largest seizure of firearms in the history of the Stamford Police Department.”

The indictment and today’s arrests represent the culmination of a long-term joint investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Marshals Service, the Stamford Police Department, the Bridgeport Police Department, the Norwalk Police Department and the Connecticut Department of Correction. The investigation was funded in significant part by the United States Attorney’s Office Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force and supported by the Office’s Project Safe Neighborhoods and Anti-Gang programs.

The indictment alleges that, on multiple occasions beginning in approximately July 2010, PATRICK UZAR of Stamford acquired firearms from relatives, as well as fellow members and associates of the Stamford Chapter of the Latin Kings, sold the firearms to a third party and distributed some of the sale proceeds to members of the conspiracy. The indictment further alleges that UZAR and others also were involved in the distribution of cocaine and Ecstasy.

During the investigation, law enforcement acquired several firearms, including machine guns, through controlled purchases. Today, in association with the arrest of the defendants, law enforcement officers executed multiple federal search warrants and seized dozens of firearms, ammunition, firearm parts and related material.

Charged in the indictment are:

• PATRICK UZAR, aka “Pistol” and “Pepe,” 24, of Lafayette Street, Stamford;
• CHRISTIAN ANDRE ALIAGA, aka “Frost,” 29, of Cove Road, Stamford;
• JAMES BLACKBURN, aka “Mar” and “Mars,” 24, incarcerated in state custody;
• ALFRED BROWN, aka “Viddy,” 27, incarcerated in state custody;
• AGUSTIN CRESPO, aka “Auggie” and “Warlord,” 34, of Spruce Street, Stamford;
• JOHN DAVIS, aka “Silk,” 25, of Haig Avenue, Stamford;
• LOUIS FELICIANO, aka “Cano,” 25, of Pepper Ridge Road, Stamford;
• KEVIN GOULBOURNE, aka “Kev,” 38, of Lockwood Avenue, Stamford;
• ANALISA MARTINEZ, aka “Lisa,” 28, of Spruce Street, Stamford;
• WILLIE NIEVES, aka “Willo” and “Flaco V,” 47, of West Broad Street, Stamford;
• JEFFREY NUNEZ, aka “J Free” and “Brother Jeff,” 27, of E. Main Street, Stamford;
• RODOLFO REVELLO, aka “Rudy,” 38 of Unity Road, Trumbull;
• ANTHONY UZAR, SR., 49, of Lafayette Street, Stamford;
• GEORGE UZAR, SR., 47, of Granite Drive, Norwalk;
• SANTOS ZAMBRANA, aka “Tos,” “Inca” and “Pres,” 24, of Montauk Drive, Stamford.

In addition, ANTHONY UZAR, JR., 28, of Frederick Street, Stamford, was arrested today on a federal criminal complaint charging him with possession of firearm and ammunition by a previously convicted felon.

The Indictment charges PATRICK UZAR and GEORGE UZAR, SR. with one count of conspiracy to sell machine guns and four counts of possession and transfer of machine guns. If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years and a fine of up to $250,000 on the conspiracy charge, and a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a fine of up to $250,000 on each of the possession and transfers charges.

PATRICK UZAR, GOULBOURNE, ZAMBRANA, DAVIS, BLACKBURN and ANTHONY UZAR, SR. are each charged with one count of conspiracy to engage in illegal firearms dealing and one count of illegal firearms dealing. Both of these charges carry a maximum term of imprisonment of five years and a fine of up to $250,000.

GOULBOURNE and BLACKBURN are each charged with one count of possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon. If convicted of this charge, each defendant faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a fine of to $250,000.

PATRICK UZAR, CRESPO, REVELLO and FELICIANO are charged with conspiring to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. If convicted of this charge, each defendant faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years, a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years and a fine of up to $2 million. The indictment also charges PATRICK UZAR with four counts and CRESPO with two counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. UZAR is charged in one of these counts with possession with intent to distribute cocaine and MDMA (“Ecstasy”). This charge carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years and a fine of up to $1 million, on each count.

PATRICK UZAR, BROWN and NUNEZ are charged with conspiring to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute MDMA (“Ecstasy”). If convicted of this charge, each defendant faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years and a fine of up to $1 million.

Finally, MARTINEZ, NIEVES and ALIAGA are each charged with one count of using a telephone to facilitate a drug trafficking offense, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of four years and a fine of up to $250,000.

U.S. Attorney Fein stressed that the charges are not evidence of guilt. The charges are only allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Anthony E. Kaplan and Marc H. Silverman.

National Rifle Association

FAIRFAX, Va. --(Ammoland.com)- In another chapter in the ongoing attempt to blame the American gun community for Mexico’s internal strife, CBS News reports that the Mexican government has retained the New York City-based law firm of Reid Collins & Tsai to examine its options for suing U.S. gun manufacturers and distributors.

This report describes Mexico’s actions as a “novel approach,” in reality, such lawsuits have been used for decades as a tactic by anti-gun groups and governments in their attempts to bankrupt gun manufacturers and circumvent the political process.

That’s why Congress passed the “Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act” in 2005. This act protects firearms manufacturers, distributors, dealers and importers from suits brought about as a result of “the harm solely caused by the criminal or unlawful misuse of firearm products or ammunition products by others when the product functioned as designed and intended.”

The outlook for a Mexican government suit looks dim; since the PLCAA was signed into law by President George W. Bush on Oct. 26, 2005, no federal court has allowed such a suit by a government plaintiff to go forward against a U.S. firearms manufacturer.

The Mexican government’s plans for a lawsuit extend at least back to November 2, 2010, when a contract with the law firm was signed. Unfortunately for the Mexican government, the possible lawsuit has come to light at the same time as diplomatic cables newly made available by Wikileaks, which have shown that drug cartels obtain much of their weaponry from Central American arsenals.

One such cable, recently publicized by Mexico City newspaper La Jornada, addresses a frequently heard claim about the origin of guns used in Mexico’s crime wave.

The cable’s author writes, “Claims by Mexican and U.S. officials that upwards of 90 percent of illegal recovered weapons can be traced back to the U.S. is based on an incomplete survey of confiscated weapons. In point of fact, without wider access to the weapons seized in Mexico, we really have no way of verifying these numbers.”

This information comes to light only weeks after another cable publicized by La Jornada revealed that 90 percent of the drug cartels’ “heavy armament,” such as grenades and rocket launchers, originates in Central America and enters Mexico through its Southern border with Guatemala. Bolstering these claims, IHS Global Insights reported on April 6 that the head of U.S. Southern Command, General Douglas Fraser, testified before the Senate that over 50 percent of the military grade weapons in the region originated from Central America.

Perhaps instead of retaining a boutique law firm from New York City to flout federal law in an attempt to attack law-abiding gun manufacturers, the Mexican government should spend the money on getting some help for the reported 125 Mexican immigration officers patrolling the 577 mile border with Guatemala.

About:
Established in 1871, the National Rifle Association is America’s oldest civil rights and sportsmen’s group. Four million members strong, NRA continues its mission to uphold Second Amendment rights and to advocate enforcement of existing laws against violent offenders to reduce crime. The Association remains the nation’s leader in firearm education and training for law-abiding gun owners, law enforcement and the military. Visit: www.nra.org

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

Washington, DC --(Ammoland.com)- (HOUSTON) – An American husband and his Colombian wife have been arrested and charged with smuggling firearms to Colombia, United States Attorney José Angel Moreno announced today, along with Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Dewey Webb and Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) Special Agent in Charge Robert Rutt.

ATF and HSI agents executed arrests warrants on Tuesday, March 8, 2011, which issued following the filing of sealed criminal complaints charging Patrick Regan, 40, and his Colombian-born wife, Ximena del Pilar Echeverry Arias, 25, with conspiracy, smuggling goods from the United States and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 371, 554, and 922(k), respectively. The criminal complaints were unsealed today.

Both defendants have made their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Nancy Johnson and have been ordered to remain in federal custody pending preliminary examination and detention hearings set for Friday, March 11, 2011, at 2:00 p.m.

“Firearms trafficking empowers terrorists, insurgents and violent gangs to murder, intimidate and control lawabiding people in many countries, including our closest democratic neighbors and friends in North, Central and South America,” said Moreno. “We must and will do everything in our collective power to deny firearms to those who use them to destroy innocent human life and to undermine democratic governance itself. This investigation shows how, through interagency and international coordination, we can begin to regain control over what has become an international problem.”

According to allegations in the criminal complaints, in October 2010, an investigation into the alleged illegal export by Regan of firearms to Colombia was initiated by the ATF. During the course of the investigation, ATF and HSI, working jointly, learned that Regan had acquired an unusually large number of firearms and related equipment beginning in or about October 2009 and had been receiving substantial sums of money via wire transfer from banks in Colombia. The results of the joint investigative effort led to the accusations that Regan made false statements to federally licensed firearms dealers to obtain firearms, obliterated the serial numbers on the firearms and, together with Arias, unlawfully exported the firearms to Colombia.

On Dec. 8, 2010, according to the complaints, agents saw Regan and Arias ship numerous boxes addressed to recipients in Colombia. An examination of those boxes and their shipping labels resulted in a determination that the name of the addressee was fictitious, the shipping address was an abandoned residence in Colombia, the shipper’s name and address were fictitious and the description of the content of the packages identified as machine castings or pressure washers was also false. The boxes actually contained 16 firearms, including eight Fabrique-Nationale Herstal, model Five-seven, 5.7 x 28mm caliber pistols and eight Double Star, model STAR-15, 5.56mm caliber complete lower receivers. The lower receivers are components of AR-15 style semiautomatic rifles which are similar in appearance to the U.S. military’s M-4 rifle. Each firearm had its serial number obliterated.

Agents intercepted two subsequent firearms shipments allegedly made by Regan to Colombian addresses. The first shipment intercepted on Dec. 16, 2010, included three Rock River Arms, model LAR-15, 5.56mm caliber lower receivers. The second shipment intercepted on March 2, 2011, included 15 Surplus Ammo & Arms, model LOW15, 5.56mm caliber lower receivers. Each lower receiver, which is in itself considered a firearm for regulatory purposes, had its serial number removed.

The complaints further allege that records obtained during the investigation showed Arias, while living in Colombia, had allegedly signed for 12 of the 67 similarly suspicious packages addressed to her home and wiretransferred more than $39,000 from a bank in Colombia to Regan’s account in the United States over the course of multiple transactions.

Concomitant with the arrests, ATF and HSI agents executed a number of search warrants including one at Regan’s Houston area residence which resulted in the discovery and seizure of 50 additional lower and 13 upper receivers for AR-15 style semi-automatic rifles, an unregistered fully assembled short-barrel AR-15 rifle, two pieces of metal working machinery and 13 AR-15 style lower receivers in varying stages of manufacture.

“It is an ATF priority to interdict the trafficking of firearms out of the country,” said Webb. “We work hand in hand with ICE-HSI to keep these firearms out of the hands of criminals.”"

“”HSI is committed to working with ATF and international law enforcement partners to combat the illegal export of weapons from the U.S.,” added Rutt. “The prosecution of weapons smugglers is a priority as we attempt to secure our borders in both directions.”"

“In close collaboration with ATF and Department of Homeland Security liaison personnel stationed at the United States Embassy in Bogota, Colombia, investigating agents passed on valuable leads to the Colombian National Police who conducted several searches in Colombia timed to coincide with the arrests in the United States. Thus far, Colombian National Police have arrested three in Colombia and dismantled a workshop where firearms were being assembled from the lower receivers Regan and Arias allegedly supplied and other essential components. Also seized were: approximately $10,000 in cash, a computer and firearms stocks. The Colombian National Police are still pursuing leads developed from this joint ATF’HSI investigation. Conspiracy carries a maximum statutory punishment of five years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine upon conviction. Each of the alleged firearms violations – false statements to acquire a firearm, possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number and unlawful exportation of a firearm – carries statutory maximum punishment ranges of 10 years and a $250,000 fine each.”

“The ATF and HSI conducted this investigation with the assistance of the United States Embassy, Bogota, Colombia, the Colombian National Police and the Houston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark W. White III is prosecuting the case.”

“A criminal complaint is an accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.”

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. --(Ammoland.com)- U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Paul J. Vido and Huntington Police Department Chief W.H. “Skip” Holbrook, along with several members from the law enforcement community joined today to announce a major, long-term undercover law enforcement effort targeting the Fairfield West area of Huntington.

A total of 55 defendants have been charged with federal crimes including illegal firearm possession, drug trafficking and other offenses. Arrest warrants have been issued for each individual involved in the criminal activity.

The criminal probe began in April 2010, targeting numerous traffickers of stolen firearms and individuals who participated in illegal drug transactions in and around Huntington. The investigation, conducted by federal and local agents, resulted in the seizure of illegal drugs with a street value of over $500,000 and more than 100 firearms.

U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin stated, “When I took office the middle of last year, I made fighting violent drug crime in Huntington my top priority. This operation, charging 55 defendants, underscores the substantial ongoing effort that we are making to help the citizens of Fairfield West and the city of Huntington take back their streets.”

More than 200 federal, state and local agents took part in the firearms and narcotics take-down effort. The defendants include drug traffickers, members and associates of drug trafficking organizations, convicted felons, as well as several local gang members.

“Because of the hard work and dedication of the undercover agents, 110 firearms and over one half million dollars of illegal drugs were taken off the streets of Huntington,” ATF Special Agent in Charge Paul J. Vido said. “Today’s enforcement actions proved that ATF will do everything in our power to protect our neighborhoods and communities. Criminals beware and be prepared to face the consequences.”

Huntington Police Department Chief W.H. “Skip” Holbrook stated, “This operation is a testament to how much can be accomplished in a coordinated effort. This operation deals a major blow to the criminal element here in Huntington. This is a great day for the citizens of Fairfield West, the city of Huntington and this region as a whole.”

Gun Owners of America

Washington, DC --(Ammoland.com)- The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) is entangled in yet another scandal.

The latest controversy involves Project Gunrunner. The BATFE knowingly allowed firearms to get into the hands of Mexican drug gangs, instructing American gun dealers to go ahead with questionable—and even illegal—gun sales. When two of these guns wound up at the crime scene of a murdered Border Patrol agent, at least one U.S. Senator is calling the agency to task.

In addition, Gun Owners of America has written a petition to the Congress, urging that the BATFE be stripped of its jurisdiction over firearms.

The history of this agency is one marred in abuse of its power and the trampling of the rights of Americans. In fact, as far back as 1982, a Senate subcommittee noted that ATF “has trampled upon the Second Amendment by chilling exercise of the right to keep and bear arms by law-abiding citizens.”

Action: Please click here and follow the link to learn more about the recent outrage along the border, and sign a petition that will be delivered straight to your Representative and Senators asking them to rein in this unconstitutional agency.

About:
Gun Owners of America (GOA) is a non-profit lobbying organization formed in 1975 to preserve and defend the Second Amendment rights of gun owners. GOA sees firearms ownership as a freedom issue. `The only no comprise gun lobby in Washington’ – Ron Paul

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

Washington, DC --(Ammoland.com)- The following statement is from Kenneth E. Melson, Acting Director, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives:

“The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) will ask a multi-disciplinary panel of law enforcement professionals to review the bureau’s current firearms trafficking strategies employed by field division managers and special agents.

This review will enable ATF to maximize its effectiveness when undertaking complex firearms trafficking investigations and prosecutions.

It will support the goals of ATF to stem the illegal flow of firearms to Mexico and combat firearms trafficking in the United States.”

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

DALLAS, TX --(Ammoland.com)- Three individuals have been arrested by agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), assisted by other state and local law enforcement, on federal firearms charges outlined in two complaints, announced U.S. Attorney James T. Jacks for the Northern District of Texas and Special Agent in Charge Robert R. Champion of the ATF’s Dallas Field Office.

Ranferi Osorio, 27, and his brother, Otilio Osorio, 22, were arrested yesterday at their home on East Colonial Drive in Lancaster, Texas. Each Osorio brother is charged with possessing firearms with an obliterated serial number. Separately, according to information contained in one complaint, Mexican officials recently seized three firearms that were used in the deadly shooting on Feb. 15, 2011, of a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent. One of the firearms recovered was traced by ATF to Otilio Osorio.

An additional defendant, Kelvin Leon Morrison, 25, who is charged in a separate federal criminal complaint, was arrested at his home next door to the Osorio brothers. Morrison is charged with knowingly making false statements in connection with the acquisition of firearms and dealing in firearms without a license.

A detention hearing for Morrison and Otilio Osorio is scheduled for today at 2:00 p.m. CT before U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul D. Stickney in Dallas. Ranferi Osorio’s detention hearing is scheduled for March 4, 2011, at 2:00 p.m. CT before Judge Stickney.

According to court documents filed in both cases, a Dallas ATF confidential informant (CI) arranged a meeting in early November 2010 with individuals who had firearms to be transported from Dallas to Laredo. The meeting was arranged related to an investigation of Los Zetas, a notoriously violent and ruthless drug trafficking organization. The weapons in question were ultimately seized by U.S. law enforcement near Laredo, before crossing the U.S./Mexico border.

According to the court documents, at the meeting, two men unloaded several large bags containing firearms into the CI’s vehicle, which was kept under surveillance until a traffic stop in Laredo. According to the court documents, the two men’s vehicle was later stopped by local police and the men were identified as Ranferi and Otilio Osorio. Morrison was the third passenger in the vehicle. The vehicle stopped in Laredo was searched and 40 firearms, all with obliterated serial numbers, were seized. Trace results indicated that three of these firearms could be specifically traced to Morrison, who bought them from federal firearms licensees (FFL) in the Dallas/Fort Worth area on Nov. 4, 2010. The investigation now has also revealed that on Aug. 7, 2010, a Romarm, model WASR, 7.62 caliber rifle was discovered by law enforcement officers in LaPryor, Texas, near the U.S./Mexico border. Trace results indicated that Morrison purchased this firearm on July 30, 2010, from a FFL. According to the affidavit, between July 10, 2010, and Nov. 4, 2010, Morrison purchased 24 firearms from FFLs.

In addition, according to one affidavit filed in the case, one of the three firearms used in the Feb. 15, 2011, deadly assault of ICE Special Agent Jaime Zapata that was seized by Mexican officials has been traced by ATF to Otilio Osorio. Otilio Osorio allegedly purchased that firearm on Oct.10, 2010, in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex, prior to law enforcement’s awareness of the purchase. Ballistic testing conducted by Mexican authorities on this firearm indicated it was one of the three firearms used during the deadly assault on Special Agent Zapata’s vehicle.

A federal complaint is a written statement of the essential facts of the offenses charged, and must be made under oath before a magistrate judge. A defendant is entitled to the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. If convicted, the penalty for possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number is five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, per count. The penalty for knowingly making false statements in connection with the acquisition of firearms is 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, per count. The penalty for dealing in firearms without a license is five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, per count.

The ongoing investigation is being conducted by the ATF, DEA, FBI, U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations and the Lancaster, Texas, Police Department. These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gary Tromblay for the Northern District of Texas.

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

COLUMBUS --(Ammoland.com)- A federal grand jury here has indicted Todd Allen Lamb, 37, of Bellefontaine, accusing him of illegally possessing five machine guns.

He is also charged with making false statements on paperwork filed with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Mark T. D’Alessandro, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Robert J. Browning, ATF Special Agent in Charge, and Logan County Sheriff Andrew J. Smith announced the indictment today.

The indictment alleges that Lamb possessed five machine guns. Logan County deputies discovered the weapons when they responded to a call for service at Lamb’s business.

The indictment also alleges that Lamb filed a firearm tax renewal and registration form with ATF on June 12, 2006 claiming that his business, Almite Services, Inc. had a license to sell machine guns, knowing that it was not a licensed dealer.

Each count of possession of a machine gun is punishable by up to ten years imprisonment. Making false statements is punishable by up to three years imprisonment.

Lamb will have an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Preston Deavers at 11 a.m. on March 2.

D’Alessandro commended the cooperative investigation by ATF agents and Logan County deputies assisted by the Ohio Highway Patrol, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dale E. Williams, Jr., who is prosecuting the case.

An indictment merely contains allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

Oregon Firearms Federation

Salem, Oregon --(Ammoland.com)- CBS News has produced a segment on the outrageous and deadly actions of the BATFE who have been expediting the transfer of thousands of firearms to Mexican drug cartels.

Those weapons are now being used against US Agents on the border.

While we welcome any attention from the establishment media, we think it’s essential that gun owners know who did the work that led to this story finally seeing the light of day.

It’s been a long time coming, but the tireless and courageous efforts of Mike Vanderboegh of Sipsey Street Irregulars and our friend David Codrea of Gun Rights Examiner are behind this story finally getting some mainstream airtime.

Needless to say, the ATF will use whatever means and methods available to them to cover up the truth and intimidate the whistle blowers. But thanks to David and Mike, the truth is out there.

About:
The Oregon Firearms Federation has proven itself to be Oregon’s only no compromise lobbying group, OFF takes the same tough stands and serves as a vehicle for educating gun owners, promoting their rights and when necessary, fighting the freedom haters in court. Visit: www.oregonfirearms.org

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

Washington, DC --(Ammoland.com)- David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ALAN D. ZALESKI, 49, of Berlin, Connecticut, was sentenced today by Senior United States District Judge Ellen Bree Burns in New Haven to 101 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally possessing machine guns and numerous other unregistered weapons, including a sawed-off shotgun, silencers, grenades and improvised explosive devices or “IEDs.”

On March 27, 2009, a jury found ZALESKI guilty of 28 counts related to the illegal possession of those firearms.

“This defendant possessed an arsenal of illegal weapons, the size and scope of which Connecticut law enforcement has rarely, if ever, encountered,” stated U.S. Attorney Fein.

“I want to commend the FBI, ATF, Connecticut State Police and the police departments that investigated this matter, as well as an alert citizen who first notified law enforcement authorities to this potentially dangerous situation.”

According to the evidence provided at trial, in 2005, a tree cutter contracted by a local utility company went to ZALESKI’s heavily-wooded property in Berlin to cut back some trees from power lines and inadvertently tripped over one of several tripwires set up on the property, triggering a percussion explosive that detonated and caused him permanent hearing loss in one ear. When the utility worker returned to the property in August 2006 and noticed the tripwires again, he contacted the police.

Law enforcement officers responded and spent the next three days systematically searching ZALESKI’s property, rendering many hazards safe, and seizing numerous weapons. During the course of the search, officers seized dozens of fully automatic machine guns and semi-automatic firearms, multiple rifles and handguns, as well as silencers, fragmentation grenades, chemical grenades, smoke grenades and various homemade pipe bombs and IEDs. ZALESKI also was found in possession of more than 67,000 rounds of live ammunition, and numerous components for making additional grenades, IEDs and bombs, including ammonium nitrate and nitro methane. Investigators also discovered that ZALESKI’s property was protected by several booby traps, including tripwires connected to percussion explosives and camouflaged plywood boards on the ground with nails sticking up through them.

ZALESKI also possessed dozens of how-to books on making bombs and IEDs; converting semi-automatic weapons to fully automatic weapons; and making homemade silencers.

Law enforcement worked over a three-day period in August 2006 to seize more than 600 separate items of evidentiary value from ZALESKI’s residence, one of the largest seizures of illegal weapons and other paraphernalia in state history.

ZALESKI has been detained since March 27, 2009.

This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Connecticut State Police Bomb Squad, Emergency Services Unit and Major Crime Squad, and the Berlin, New Britain and New Haven Police Departments.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Paul Murphy and Stephen Reynolds.

Mexican Drug Guns On Display, featuring fragmentation grenades, mortars, rocket-propelled grenades (rpgs), 20mm and 40mm cannon shells and other military ordnance not available from any u.S. Stores.

Gunlaws.com

LAS VEGAS, NV --(Ammoland.com)- In personal conversations at the SHOT Show with four high-level Justice Dept. officials, including knowledgeable BATFE experts speaking on condition of anonymity, it became apparent that a commonly cited figure used by the “news” media to attack American gun stores and gun rights is a complete fabrication.

No method exists to obtain the information. The agency has no mandate or desire to do so. Even if the information could be obtained or deduced from what few records exist, they would be reluctant to release it to the public and anger their superiors, they say.

From the head of the State Dept. to the heads of various departments within the agency, the 90% gun-running stat has been standardized despite it being completely false.

Hillary Clinton, the current Secretary of State has publicly repeated the remark, made by Mr. Obama, who said at a Mexican press conference, “More than 90 percent of the guns recovered in Mexico come from the United States, many from gun shops that line our shared border.”

FactCheck.org provides interesting background on the false nature of these quotes: www.factcheck.org/politics/counting_mexicos_guns.html

New information, according to our sources:

• Corruption, incompetence and inefficiency within the Mexican government itself prevents those officials from actually knowing how many guns they confiscate in the first place, from the illegal-vegetable cartels fighting Mr. Calderon’s failed war on some drugs.
• An unknown number of these weapons are recycled right back into the cartels through bribes and theft, further clouding any numbers that are eventually provided to U.S. bureaucrats. Without these numbers, and ratios or comparisons are meaningless.
• Mexico does not release such information in a forthright way to U.S. officials, and what we do get is of unknown quality or accuracy. This makes any comparison or ratio of U.S. traces to the totals mere guesswork with less credibility than a routine issues poll conducted by ideological groups.
• An unknown percentage of confiscated-gun information in Mexico is sent to the U.S. for tracing. It is believed to be below 33%, and may be as low as ten percent or less. With no way to know this number, the percentages quoted by American leaders can barely be called propaganda. Only some guns with serial numbers or other markings, which may indicate a U.S. connection are submitted, making the quoted percentages preposterous.
• Of the traces actually conducted, which itself is only a portion of the total, officials made it quite clear that while American origin could theoretically be determined for some segment of the traces, determining how many of these are straw purchase and hence from border gun shops is essentially impossible.

They cited many reasons for this, including the fact that only the original purchaser can be identified. Guns bought years ago could go through many hands before making it to: a prohibited possessor (a likely source of many of the firearms, they said), an after-market straw purchaser (cannot be determined), theft (only distinguished if the then-current owner filed a report) or other means. The agency does NOT compile such statistics because they realize it would be a fruitless exercise in futility.

Among the answers repeatedly given for why the numbers are so bad, why top officials are using the now openly bogus figures, what the chances for future improvement might be, and why they won’t publicly admit the truth or confront the leadership and help reestablish a semblance of credibility for the agency, were, “I have no knowledge of those statistics,” and “I have no access to that information.”

Reports surfacing from South America suggest that cartels, overflowing with cash and influence, send truck convoys (not just trucks) to aging military warehouses in Central and South America, stuff them with firearms sent by the U.S. and other world powers over the decades to prop up various banana governments, and obtain more firepower in one load than an army of drug-lord indebted hos can buy on 4473 forms from legitimate dealers in a lifetime.

Pictures staged by federal authorities to display captured weaponry, featuring fragmentation grenades, mortars, rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs), 20mm and 40mm cannon shells and other military ordnance not available from any U.S. stores, support the claims that drug cartels hardly need to shop at retail and pay sales tax.

Additionally, the ever-popular communist-designed AK-47 and similar weapons might come through the U.S. in some cases, but the point of origin for these is obviously not the U.S., a fact completely ignored among all the fuss. One knowledgeable source believes that less than 10% of all Mexican cartel armaments come from U.S. sources, in the sense of illegal retail purchases smuggled across the border. Some U.S. originated arms, supplied to the Mexican government in an official capacity, leak into the black market as soldiers there desert by the thousands annually. No comments from the White House or the State Dept. have been received or are expected.

About GunLaws.com:
Scottsdale, Ariz.-based Bloomfield Press, founded in 1988, is the largest publisher and distributor of gun-law books in the country. Our website, gunlaws.com, features a free national directory to gun laws and relevant contacts in all states and federally, along with our unique line of related books and DVDs. “After Your Shoot” for media review is available on request, call 800-707-4020. Our authors are available for interview, call to schedule. Call for cogent positions on gun issues, informed analysis on proposed laws, talk radio that lights up the switchboard, fact sheets and position papers. As we always say, “It doesn’t make sense to own a gun and not know the rules.” Visit: www.gunlaws.com

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

LOS ANGELES, CA--(Ammoland.com)- Federal and local authorities this morning arrested five defendants who were named by a federal grand jury in a 19—count indictment that alleges illegal firearms sales and drug trafficking offenses.

Two of the nine defendants named in the indictment were already in state custody, and authorities continue to search for one fugitive. An investigation is continuing into the identity of the ninth defendant named in the indictment.

The indictment, which was returned on September 28, outlines a series of firearms transactions in which guns — including machine guns, sawed—off shotguns and assault rifles — were sold to undercover operatives from April 2009 through June 2010.

During this morning’s operation, ATF agents and LAPDofficers seized 12 firearms, including seven handguns and one machine gun, and at least five pounds of marijuana. With this morning’s seizures, this investigation has resulted in a total of 35 firearms being taken off the streets.

In addition to the defendants arrested in the federal case, authorities this morning arrested five suspects who are expected to be prosecuted by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

“One of ATF’s strategies for preventing violent crime is to disrupt and dismantle underground firearms trafficking pipelines and take down those responsible for supplying violent offenders with crime guns,” said John A. Torres, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Los Angeles Field Division.

“This investigation shows that ATF is at the frontline in combating violent crime through partnerships with fellow law enforcement agencies. ATF will continue to seek out and eradicate those threatening the safety of our communities.”

“As Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department, I have been committed to working closely with our federal partners,” said;LAPD Chief Charlie Beck.

“This morning, in a joint task force with our ATF partners, detectives from LAPD”Gang and Narcotics Division executed a federal warrant which targeted illegal gun trafficking. I am very pleased with the results of today’s operation. I will continue my commitment in our fight to reduce crime in our communities and to keeping these dangerous weapons off the streets.

The nine defendants named in the indictment, five of whom were arrested this morning, are:

• Oswaldo Ramirez, 29, of Lakewood, an illegal alien who allegedly arranged and was present at most of the firearms transactions;
• Victor Huerta, 20, of Paramount, who allegedly participated in several of the gun transactions;
• Ernesto Figueroa Chavez, 21, of La Puente, an illegal alien who allegedly supplied the gun in three transactions prior to being deported to Mexico in October;
• Robert Francis Evangelista, 32, of Montebello, who was allegedly involved in seven firearms transactions;
• Sergio Herrera, 30, of South Gate, who allegedly sold one firearm;
• Ivan Reyes, 34, who is a fugitive currently being sought by authorities for allegedly selling one firearm and being involved in a narcotics transaction;
• Robert Michael Roybal, 23, of El Sereno, who allegedly was involved in two firearms transactions and is currently in state custody;
• Ramon Lopez, 33, of South Los Angeles, who allegedly was involved in one gun transaction and is currently in state custody; and
• a ninth defendant who is charged with participating in one gun transaction and is the subject of an ongoing investigation into his identity

The 19-count indictment specifically alleges conspiracy (statutory maximum penalty of five years in federal prison), engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license (five years maximum), alien in possession of a firearm and/or ammunition (10 years maximum), felon in possession of a firearm and/or ammunition (10 years maximum), sale of a firearm to a prohibited person (10 years maximum), possession of an unregistered firearm (10 years maximum), illegal alien found in the United States following deportation (two years maximum); conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine (20 years maximum), and distribution of methamphetamine (20 years maximum).

An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in court. The investigation that led to the indictment and today’s arrests was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Los Angeles Police Department.

CONTACT: Assistant United States Attorney Max B. Shiner Violent and Organized Crime Section (213) 894-3308

ATF Wanted Gun Runners: Photographs of the two suspects, Gerson Javier Ruiz-Varela and Manuel Carrasco-Ruiz.

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

ORLANDO, Fla. - -(Ammoland.com)- The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Tampa Field Division is seeking the public’s assistance in locating two fugitives who are wanted for federal firearms trafficking violations. Both subjects are considered armed and dangerous and may have fled the country.

ATF has obtained federal arrest warrants for Antonio Ruiz-Varela, (DOB: 12/01/1987); and Manuel Dejesus Carrasco-Ruiz, (DOB: 07/03/1969), both Hispanic males.

Please call 1-800-283-4897 with any information regarding their whereabouts.

Ruiz-Varela and Carrasco-Ruiz are wanted in connection with an investigation of a violent international firearms trafficking organization in central Florida. The organization trafficked a variety of firearms including semi-automatic handguns and AR-15 style short-barreled rifles. Several of the firearms have been found in the hands of violent criminal elements within Puerto Rico and throughout Central and South America.

Anyone with information about the whereabouts of Ruiz-Varela and Carrasco-Ruiz should contact ATF at 1-800-ATF-GUNS.

For more information, read the USAO press release.

U.S. Department of Justice

Orlando, Florida --(Ammoland.com)- United States Attorney A. Brian Albritton, Virginia O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of central and northern Florida Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) operations, and Susan McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations, Tampa Field Office announce the initial results of Operation Castaway, an intensive and wideranging Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”) firearms trafficking investigation conducted by ATF, ICE, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, and the Miami-Dade Police Department. ATF describes Operation Castaway as the most significant firearms trafficking investigation in Central Florida history.

According to court documents, a group of defendants connected to Hugh Crumpler, III, were involved in a major international gun trafficking operation. Crumpler has trafficked, for several years, more than 1000 firearms to various groups and defendants who have exported these weapons all over Central and South America and to Puerto Rico. The defendants trafficked in Glock semi-automatic handguns, Fabrique Nationale Herstal 5.7x28mm semi-automatic handguns (“FN pistols”), and AR-15 styled short-barreled rifles, among other firearms. The FN pistols in particular are weapons of choice for drug trafficking organizations and paramilitary groups. Easily concealed and capable of firing a rifle round of ammunition that can penetrate law enforcement body armor, the pistols are referred to by cartel members in Mexico, South America, Central America, and Puerto Rico as “matapolicias” or “cop killers.” AR-15-styled rifles are popular among the same criminal groups.

Firearms like those involved in this investigation are often smuggled through Honduras and other Central and South American countries before being used in violent crimes in Mexico and other countries in the region. A number of the firearms trafficked by the defendants in Operation Castaway have been linked to violent crimes around the world. Several firearms trafficked by Crumpler and Ramon Lopez, Jr. were used in crimes associated with the Torres Sabana Drug Trafficking Organization, a notorious and violent drug trafficking organization in Puerto Rico. Another firearm, a Glock pistol, was recovered in Medellin, Colombia, South America, after being used to commit a homicide. Yet another firearm was found in the possession of a hitman for Oficina de Envigado, an organization described by the Department of Treasury as “a violent Medellin-based organized crime group that engages in large-scale drug trafficking and money laundering activities in Colombia.”

On Monday and Tuesday of this week, U.S. District Judge Gregory A. Presnell sentenced several of the Operation Castaway defendants. Hugh Crumpler, III (age 63, of Palm Bay) was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for dealing firearms without a license and unlawfully possessing short barreled rifles; Ramon Lopez, Jr. (age 29, of Kissimmee) was sentenced to 74 months in federal prison for dealing firearms without a license and unlawfully possessing short barreled rifles; Carlos Humberto Guillen-Rivera (age 29, of Honduras) was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison for conspiring to possess and illegally possessing short barreled rifles; Cesar Augusto Guillen-Rivera (age 31, of Honduras) was sentenced to 65 months in federal prison for conspiring to possess and illegally possessing short barreled rifles; Erlin Javier Guillen-Rivera (age 25, of Honduras) was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison for conspiring to possess and illegally possessing short barreled rifles; and Hector Saenz (age 38, of Honduras) was sentenced to 46 months for conspiracy.

Operation Castaway defendant Jesus Puentes pleaded guilty on August 31, 2010 to conspiring to possess and illegally possessing short barreled rifles and will be sentenced on November 18, 2010. Defendant Jorge Acosta has pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess and illegally possessing short barreled rifles. Acosta will be sentenced at a future date.

Two additional defendants, Antonia Ruiz-Varela and Manuel Dejesus Carrasco-Ruiz, are still at large and have yet to be arrested by authorities. Any information about their whereabouts should be forwarded to ATF.

“Eliminating this type of organization and taking its high-level weaponry off the streets will increase safety not only for our citizens but for people abroad. I commend the work of the federal agents in bringing this group down, as well as the contributions of our local partner agencies,” said U.S. Attorney Albritton.

“ATF investigates unlicensed firearm dealers across the country, this one unlicensed individual revealed a firearms trafficking ring so far reaching it funneled hundreds of firearms to criminal markets both domestic and international,” said Virginia O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of central and northern Florida ATF operations.

ICE Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge in Tampa Susan McCormick said, “Gun and drug trafficking fuels violence by criminal organizations and threatens the security of the people along our borders and throughout the country. ICE special agents will continue working jointly with our law enforcement partners to utilize our expertise in import and export enforcement in order to keep our citizens safe and secure.”

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys J. Bishop Ravenel and E. Jackson Boggs. Operation Castaway remains an ongoing investigation.

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

PHOENIX — Deputy Director Kenneth E. Melson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) today announced the formation of seven new Project Gunrunner firearms trafficking groups during a news conference in which he and Dennis K. Burke, United States Attorney, District of Arizona, announced the results of ATF’s Gun Runner Impact Team (GRIT) initiative, a nearly 100-day deployment of ATF resources to the Phoenix Field Division to disrupt illegal firearms trafficking by Mexican drug trafficking organizations.

As a result of the 2010 emergency supplemental appropriation for border security, ATF received $37.5 million for Project Gunrunner, ATF’s comprehensive firearms trafficking strategy to disrupt the illegal flow of firearms into Mexico. With this funding, ATF will establish and place firearms trafficking groups along traditional and newly-discovered firearms trafficking routes and hubs in Atlanta; Dallas; Brownsville, Texas; Las Vegas; Miami; Oklahoma City; and Sierra Vista, Ariz.

“Lives are being lost to violent crime every day on both sides of the U.S. and Mexico border,” said Melson. “Through Project Gunrunner and its GRIT initiative, ATF is shutting down the supply routes of firearms traffickers along the border and further inland.”

The GRIT initiative brought more than 80 experienced ATF personnel from around the country to Arizona and New Mexico. GRIT special agents initiated 174 firearms trafficking-related criminal investigations and seized approximately 1,300 illegally-trafficked firearms and 71,000 rounds of ammunition, along with drugs and currency. ATF’s industry operations investigators conducted more than 800 federal firearms licensee compliance inspections.

“We are fighting on a crucial front here today to reduce violence in our own communities, and to disrupt and dismantle the southbound supply of weapons to the cartels,” said Burke. “We will not be a gun locker for the cartels, who have made murder and mayhem their modus operandi. We will not tolerate violent criminals and others who illegally possess, purchase or sell firearms.”

Burke announced that 96 defendants have been arrested, charged, convicted or sentenced since June 2010 on gun-related charges. The majority of defendants include violent felons, drug traffickers who use weapons, and those trafficking firearms to Mexico. Cases involved more than 370 guns — many of them AK-47 style rifles and other “weapons of choice” of drug cartels — and hundreds of thousands of rounds of ammunition smuggled into or destined for Mexico. Some of the guns seized in the investigation, including a .50 caliber weapon, were recovered at crime scenes in Mexico.

Recent examples of firearms prosecutions in the District of Arizona:

• U.S. v. Arizmendiz et al.
  In July and August, two leaders of a firearms trafficking conspiracy that supplied at least 112 firearms — mostly AK-47 style — to the Sinaloa Cartel, were sentenced. Alejandroi Medrano, 23, and Hernan Ramos, 22, both of Mesa, Ariz., were sentenced to 46 and 50 months in prison, respectively, for leading a conspiracy involving 10 defendants who straw purchased firearms from gun dealers in Phoenix and Tucson, Ariz., in order to supply them to a member of the Sinaloa Cartel known as “Rambo.”
• U.S. v. Gaeda et al.
  On June 3, following an ATF investigation involving more than 250,000 rounds of ammunition, ATF agents arrested Emmanuel Casquez, Elias Vasquez, and Charice Gaeda for unlawfully exporting ammunition to Mexico. Agents had learned the three were purchasing vast quantities of ammunition and searched a vehicle headed for the border port at Nogales and recovered 9,500 rounds of ammunition; a search of a residence ensued and an additional 27,000 rounds of ammunition were recovered.
• U.S. v. Ibarra et al.
  In July, a 20-count indictment announced charging 10 straw purchasers, recruited by then 17-year-old Francisco Ibarra, to buy at least 25 firearms. ATF believes the firearms were trafficked into Mexico.

For more information on ATF and Project Gunrunner, please go to the ATF website, www.atf.gov.

FirearmsTruth.com

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- More than a year and a half ago numbers circulated that 80 percent of the guns used by Mexican cartels came from the United States, but then the numbers were examined more closely.

That 80 percent number was in fact only counting guns that were actually sent back to the United States for confirmation. In other words, not all the guns confiscated in Mexico even were actually submitted to American authorities, yet the 80 percent number stuck, and it was reported over and over again.

We note this because now ABC News is now reporting that “as many as three out of four guns used in crimes in Mexico can be traced to guns stores just across the border in the U.S.” This sounds all too familiar.

So let’s take a close look at what ABC News says, and more importantly what they don’t say.

First, the news organization notes: “the study, based on Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) data and prepared by the advocacy group Mayors Against Illegal Guns, shows that three out of four guns used in crimes in Mexico and submitted for tracing were sold in the four U.S. states that border Mexico.”

What they said, “and submitted for tracing,” meaning we’re back to the situation a year and a half ago, or in other words this is pretty much a revised ”80 percent of guns” statistic.

What they didn’t say was how many guns are not submitted for tracing, which could be substantially higher than the number of guns seized. The news story noted some “19,000 guns used in crime in Mexico were traced to an original sale at a US gun dealer.” That’s amazing, but 19,000 for a border war this big sounds like a small number of firearms. Of course, there is no mention of the TOTAL number of guns seized in Mexico.

What they also said was that this study was based on ATF data BUT “prepared by the advocacy group Mayors Against Illegal Guns.” Do we really believe that this group would want to say “less than 20 percent of seized guns in Mexico are even sent to the United States for tracing?” The story fails to note that this was hardly the most scientific of studies either.

ABC News adds, “…the bulk of the guns came from Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California.” The story later continues by stating, “The numbers showed that Arizona, Texas and New Mexico had an export rate 169 percent greater than any other states, which the authors suggest may be due in part to less-restrictive gun laws in those states.”

So why wasn’t California mentioned in the second quote, if that was the other border state where “the bulk of the guns came from,” except that it doesn’t fit so nicely with the study’s finding, or it doesn’t fit with the tone the authors at ABC News intended. In other words, California has fairly strict gun control laws, so it is noted for being a border state when it is convenient to make a point, but disregarded when another point needs to be made.

The fact that guns are coming from border states shouldn’t even be a surprise. Is it really the respective states’ laws on gun ownership, or the fact that it is easier to drive to Texas than say New Hampshire? There are probably more illegal immigrants in the border states, and probably more illegal drugs from Mexico in those four states than say Alaska or Maine! Why is promixity mentioned when it fits, but disregarded other times? The answer: biased reporting.

Finally, we have to question why the primarily source for the story was the group Mayors Against Illegal Guns, and yet the only “color” commentary for the piece actually comes from the groups founder, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who was quoted as saying, “[It] again proves it is too easy for criminals and traffickers to get guns.”

Citing data and then having the author of the data saying, “it proves the point,” hardly proves the point. This story thus lacks any credible counterpoint on the above statement or the study. Talk about a stacked deck and a highly biased story!

Peter Suciu is executive editor of FirearmsTruth.com, a website that tracks and monitors media bias against guns and our Second Amendment rights. Visit: FirearmsTruth.com

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

SAN FRANCISCO --(Ammoland.com)- The eighth member of an illegal gun trafficking ring that trafficked over 65 firearms from Atlanta, Ga., to the San Francisco Bay Area has been sentenced to 27 months in federal prison announced Special Agent in Charge Stephen C. Herkins with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

The group bought, shipped then resold the guns from April through June of 2009. Several of these guns were recovered from crime scenes in San Francisco and Oakland.

Jonathan Rice, 26, of Vallejo, Calif., was sentenced Aug. 5, by United States District Judge Honorable Jeffrey S. White in the Northern Judicial District of California for receiving firearms in California that had been unlawfully shipped from Georgia. He was sentenced to 27 months for his part in the illegal operation.

Rice is the last of the Bay Area defendants of this illegal firearms trafficking ring to be sentenced. On July 1, Aurelio Rodriguez was sentenced to 37 months in prison and on July 22, Willie Earnest was sentenced to 15 months in prison and Nkwelle Pendar was sentenced to 60 months of prison.

“The sentencing of the last defendant marks the day that those involved in this investigation can no longer traffic guns and terrorize our communities,” stated Stephen C. Herkins.

“This was a collaborative effort conducted by our agents from Atlanta and San Francisco and is reflective of how ATF prevented additional criminals from receiving guns to further their criminal activities.”

All previously pleaded guilty in federal court and admitted that they each received firearms from Jeffrey Colon Moore, a Georgia resident who had shipped the firearms via United Parcel Services to the San Francisco Bay Area. Earnest and Pendar admitted that they sent payments to Moore in Georgia by way of Western Union and sold and delivered those same firearms on the black market.

This case is related to an ATF investigation and federal prosecution in Georgia of individuals who purchased and shipped the firearms to the Bay Area. Jeffrey Colon Moore, Crystal Davis, Danny Bill Davis, and Alexander Quinn, an Oakland resident, were all sentenced on March 12, 2010, in the Northern District of Georgia for their roles in purchasing and shipping the firearms to California.

Moore recruited Crystal Davis and Danny Bill Davis to purchase the firearms and then accompanied them to 12 federally licensed firearms dealers and at least two gun shows in the Atlanta area. Moore selected the firearms and supplied the straw purchasers with the cash to purchase them. One of the federally licensed firearms dealers became suspicious of the volume, frequency and nature of the purchases and contacted ATF. Moore shipped the firearms that the group had purchased to Earnest, Pendar, Rodriguez, Rice, and Quinn.

The following assisted with the investigation: Vallejo Police Department, San Francisco Police Department, and the California Department of Correction.

Assistant United States Attorney Attorney Derek Owens prosecuted the case with the assistance of Kevin Costello and Julie Edwards in the Northern Judicial District of California; and Assistant United States Attorneys Zahra S. Karinshak and Joseph Plummer prosecuted the case in the Northern District of Georgia.

Anyone with information about firearms trafficking or the illegal possession of firearms is encouraged to call ATF at 1-800-ATF-GUNS (800-283-4867). Callers can remain anonymous.

More information about ATF and its programs is available at http://www.atf.gov

AmmoLand Gun News

WASHINGTON, D.C. –-(Ammoland.com)- On Wednesday, July 14, 2010, Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY), will hold a press conference call for members of the media to introduce her new legislation that will require reporting lost and stolen handguns to the police.

Statistics confirm that most crimes committed with guns, are committed using illegal handguns – obtained through trafficking, straw purchases, or theft. When police discover a handgun at a crime scene, it is usually possible to trace it back to an original purchaser. Straw purchasers often rely on the “I lost it and forgot to report it,” loophole to get off the hook. Lost or stolen handgun reporting would help seal that hole – with zero impact on responsible, law-abiding owners.

A 2008 study published by Mayors Against Illegal Guns discovered that the seven states already enforcing a similar requirement show a 67 percent reduction in the number of crime guns traced back to within their borders.

Your coverage is welcome.

WHAT: Rep. Carolyn McCarthy Press Conference Call Introducing Legislation Requiring
Lost and Stolen Handgun Reporting

WHO: Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy (NY-04)
Thomas McMahon, Mayor, Reading, PA
Deputy Commissioner William Flanagan, Nassau County Police Department
Paul Helmke, President, Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence
Joe Grace, Executive Director, CeaseFire PA

WHEN: Wednesday, July 14, 2010
9:30 a.m. EDT

CALL IN: Please call Communications Director, Aprill Turner at 202.225.5516 for dial-in information.

Note: Participants will be required to confirm submit their name and affiliation.

U.S. Department of Justice

BROWNSVILLE, Texas --(Ammoland.com)- Three 20-year-old Brownsville residents who lied to buy firearms for another are now convicted felons and will be serving prison terms, United States Attorney José Angel Moreno announced today.

Yesterday, United States District Judge Hilda G. Tagle sentenced Jesus Gutierrez, 20, Roel Gonzalez, 20, and Angel Zuniga, 20, to prison for purchasing firearms by making false statements.

Gutierrez, who bought two firearms, and Gonzalez, who purchased only one, were each sentenced to six months in federal prison to be followed by a two-year-term of supervised release. Zuniga, who purchased three firearms, was sentenced to seven months in federal prison to be followed by a like number of years of supervised release.

From Oct. 16, 2008 to Nov. 6, 2008, an individual known to the defendants as “Tavo” recruited each of them to buy firearms for him providing them the money for the purchase and instructions about which firearms to buy. Each of the young men acquired the firearms from licensed dealers in Pharr, McAllen, and Brownsville, Texas, by knowingly making false statements and representations, that is, by executing a Department of Justice, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Form 4473, Firearm Transaction Record, claiming they were the actual buyer of the firearm when in truth they were acquiring the firearms on behalf of “Tavo.” All the firearms were eventually discovered in Mexico and traced back to the defendant purchasers. “Tavo” remains unidentified and a fugitive.

Gutierrez was immediately taken into custody, while Gonzalez and Zuniga were allowed to surrender.

Despite the fact that none of the 20-year-old defendants has a criminal record and they purchased relatively few firearms, the court noted that prison terms were necessarily to reflected the seriousness of the offense each had committed.

This case was investigated by agents with ATF. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Angel Castro.

Texas State Rifle Association

Washington, DC --(Ammoland.com)- Last week Texas U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R) took exception to the 40-minute speech by President Calderon of Mexico. Calderon stated in a joint message to the U.S. Congress that the drug cartel killings coincided with Congress lifting the assault weapons ban in 2004.

How a flash suppressor or a bayonet lug could impact the current crime spree was not discussed…?

Also not mentioned was how many of the 75,000 firearms seized over the past three years came from the Mexican military or Mexican law enforcement. Calderon did say that 80% of traceable weapons were traced to the U.S.

How many of these firearms were not traceable or came from other countries?

Any American traveling along the Texas-Mexico border over the past decade would have seen billboards reminding U.S. citizens traveling into Mexico not to get caught with so much as a shotgun shell in their trunk. And everyone has heard a story of someone whose family spent 10′s of thousands of dollars to bring them home from a Mexican prison after such an incident.

One has to wonder how the “one-shotgun-shell” of the honest U.S. citizen can be found and 75,000 cartel-bound guns missed over those same border bridges.

Who was paid off and on which side of the border?

So will the U.S. government cave-in and sacrifice your rights to criminals or to a historically corrupt and inefficient foreign government?

Thank you, Senator Cornyn for saying the Second Amendment is not a subject open for diplomatic negotiation with Mexico or any other nation!

AmmoLand readers and TSRA members need to thank Senator Cornyn and Senator Hutchison and remind your U.S. House of Representative that the November Elections loom large on the horizon and YOU are paying close attention!

Act today!

Remember to renew your TSRA membership on line or call 800-462-8772 and find out how to become a Defender Member!

About:
The Mission of the Texas State Rifle Association is to protect and defend the inalienable rights of the individual Texan to acquire, possess, transport, carry, transfer ownership and enjoy the right to lawful use of firearms for self preservation, for the defense of family and property and the common defense of the Republic and the individual liberties of the people. Visit: www.TSRA.com

BATFE

ROCKFORD, Ill. --(AmmoLand.com)- By word of mouth, news began to spread around Rockford beginning in April 2009 that the managers of a new resale shop in the 1200 block of Broadway were willing to purchase firearms, stolen property and narcotics and, soon, business was brisk.

During the next six months, the managers of “Tony Tones All Thangs Fine” purchased more than 50 firearms, including a dozen sawed-off shotguns, most of them allegedly sold illegally either by individuals who were previously convicted felons or by individuals who believed they were selling firearms to convicted felons.

When the shop closed at the end of October 2009, local, state and federal law enforcement authorities, led by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) agents, removed the hidden video equipment that had allowed them to view and secretly record individuals who had used the back room of “All Thangs Fine” (whose initials spell “ATF”) to make illegal sales of firearms and narcotics during the six-month undercover investigation.

The probe culminated today with the arrests this morning of up to 18 local defendants on state and federal charges, including eight Rockford residents who were indicted on federal charges and 10 others who are facing state charges. The charges were announced today by Patrick J. Fitzgerald, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Joseph Bruscato, Winnebago County State’s Attorney; Andrew L. Traver, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of ATF; Greg Lindmark, Rockford Police Deputy Chief; Richard A. Meyers, Winnebago County Sheriff; Stephen A. Luzinski, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Drug Enforcement Administration; and Jonathon Monken, Director of the Illinois State Police.

“I applaud the hard work and cooperation of the local, state and federal law enforcement agencies that conducted this undercover investigation, which was designed to remove illegal firearms from circulating in Rockford, as well as to prosecute the alleged offenders,” Mr. Fitzgerald said. “We all share the same goal of making Rockford a safer community by making people think twice before they engage in illegal firearms sales. We will continue to investigate and prosecute such cases.”

Winnebago County State’s Attorney Bruscato said: “Federal and state law enforcement agencies are working collectively to hit the crime issue hard. The Winnebago County State’s Attorney’s Office is committed to the continued collaborative efforts that produce these kind of results.”

Mr. Traver, of ATF, said: “The cooperative and dedicated actions of the agencies involved in this lengthy operation have contributed to a safer Rockford. Every illegal firearm removed from the hands of an unlawful possessor represents one or more potential violent crimes that was not and will not be committed.”

Rockford Police Deputy Chief Lindmark said: “This investigation, with the cooperation and assistance of our federal, state and local law enforcement partners, demonstrates the continuing coordination and collaboration to reduce crime in the City of Rockford. Our continued partnerships with various law enforcement agencies will enhance our ability to leverage our resources.”

Winnebago County Sheriff Meyers said: “Cooperation between local, state and federal agencies has again led to the successful conclusion of a long-term undercover case. This represents the best of law enforcement to make this community a safer place to live.”

A federal grand jury in Rockford on Tuesday returned eight separate sealed indictments, each charging a single defendant with firearms and/or narcotics offenses stemming from the undercover investigation. According to one indictment, the undercover resale shop was managed between April and October 2009 by two cooperating individuals, each of whom had previously been convicted of a felony. Before opening the store, ATF agents and other law enforcement authorities had installed hidden and disguised video equipment that allowed officers, who were operating the video surveillance equipment from the back room of the store, to view and secretly record individuals who entered the back office area to illegally sell firearms and contraband. The store managers each wore a transmitter that allowed agents to listen in on and secretly record conversations regarding the alleged illegal transactions.

Authorities arrested 5 of the 8 federal defendants and 7 of the 10 state defendants earlier today and the federal and state indictments have been unsealed. Three of federal defendants appeared in U.S. District Court in Rockford this morning and were ordered detained without bond until a detention hearing could be held on February 18, 2010. The remaining 2 federal defendants who have been arrested will appear this afternoon in U.S. District Court. Of the 8 federal defendants, 2 are currently in Winnebago County Jail and will appear in U.S. District Court for arraignment on February 25, 2010 at 11:00 a.m.

Details of each of the eight federal cases follow:

Marcus J. Causey, 24, of Rockford, was charged in a 20-count indictment in connection with allegedly illegally selling 16 firearms — seven shotguns, six handguns and three rifles — between May 4 and Aug. 18, 2009. He was charged with one count of selling 16 firearms without a federal firearms dealer’s license, 13 counts of selling firearms to a convicted felon, five counts of possessing unregistered sawed-off shotguns, and one count of possessing a shotgun with an obliterated serial number.

The indictment lists the firearms that Causey allegedly illegally sold as: an Excam .38 caliber two-shot derringer; a Winchester 16 gauge shotgun; a Harrington & Richardson 12 gauge shotgun; a Winchester 12 gauge shotgun; a Colt .32 caliber pistol; a Remington 12 gauge shotgun; an Iver Johnson double barrel 12 gauge shotgun; a Remington .243 caliber rifle; a Charter Arms .22 caliber rifle; a Stevens 12 gauge shotgun; a Savage 20 gauge shotgun; a Bryco Arms .380 caliber pistol; an Iver Johnson .38 caliber revolver; a Harrington & Richardson .32 caliber revolver; a Marlin .22 caliber rifle; and a Heritage Manufacturing .22 caliber revolver;

Derell C. Valentine, 25, also known as “Frog,” of Rockford was charged in a 20-count indictment in connection with allegedly illegally selling nine firearms, including five shotguns, on various dates in May 2009. He was charged with one count of selling nine firearms without a federal firearms dealer’s license, nine counts of being a previously convicted felon in possession of a firearm, seven counts of selling firearms to a convicted felon, three counts of possessing unregistered sawed-off shotguns;

Darrius D. Parker, also known as “D Block,” 27, of Rockford, was charged in a four-count indictment with firearms and narcotics offenses. He was charged with two counts of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, one count of distribution of approximately 40 Ecstasy tablets, and one count of distribution of approximately 46.6 grams of crack cocaine;

Marcus Anderson, also known as “Leroy,” 22, of Rockford, was charged in a four-count indictment in connection with allegedly illegally selling seven firearms, including two shotguns, on various dates between June and August 2009. He was charged with one count of selling seven firearms without a federal firearms dealer’s license and three counts of selling firearms to a convicted felon;

Tyrone M. Smith, also known as “T.Y.,” 32, of Rockford, was charged in a five-count indictment in connection with allegedly illegally selling five firearms, including two shotguns, on various dates between May and August 2009. He was charged with one count of selling five firearms without a federal firearms dealer’s license, three counts of selling firearms to a convicted felon, and one count of possessing an unregistered sawed-off shotgun;

Edward M. Ingram, also known as “E-Dub,” 22, of Rockford, was charged in a three-count indictment with one count of selling a firearm to a convicted felon, one count of distribution of approximately 56.9 grams of crack cocaine, and one count of possession with intent to distribute approximately one-half gram of heroin;

Brendon R. Turner, also known as “Black,” 22, of Rockford, was charged in a two-count indictment with one count of being a convicted felon in possession of firearm and one count of distribution of approximately two grams of crack cocaine; and

Jarrett Leon Lewis, also known as “Nation,” 26, of Rockford, was charged in a two-count indictment with one count of being a convicted felon in possession of firearm and one count of distribution of approximately 1.4 grams of crack cocaine.

The maximum penalties on each count of the federal offenses charged in these indictments are as follows: being a convicted felon-in-possession of a firearm, selling a firearm to a convicted felon, and possessing an unregistered sawed-off shotgun — 10 years in prison; selling firearms without a federal firearms dealer’s license, and selling a firearm with an obliterated serial number

— 5 years in prison, and each count carries a maximum fine of $250,000. Each of the federal narcotics distribution counts carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, except the crack cocaine count against Ingram carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison, and the crack cocaine count against Parker carries a mandatory minimum of 5 years and a maximum of 20 years in prison.

The state defendants and charges against each are:

• Jesse Leach, 47, violation of the Controlled Substances Act (delivery of Hydrocodone) (Class 2 felony);
• Lorenzo Lipscomb, 45, violation of the Controlled Substances Act (delivery of Hydrocodone) (Class 2 Felony);
• Skyanne B. Rentsch, 21, Unlawful Distribution of a Lookalike Substance (Class 3 Felony);
• Eddie Roberson, 52, two counts Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Weapon (Class 4 Felonies) and two counts Unlawful Sale of Firearms (Class 4 Felonies);
• Raul Rodriguez, 18, two counts Aggravated Unlawful Use of Weapons and Unlawful Sale of Firearms (Class 4 Felonies);
• Sierra Taylor, 23, violation of the Controlled Substances Act (delivery of cocaine) (Class 1 Felony);
• Torrence M. Taylor, 24, five counts Aggravated Unlawful Use of Weapons and two counts Unlawful Sale of Firearms (Class 4 Felonies);
• Israel O. Barnabas, also known as “Michael Harrington,” 31, delivery of cocaine (Class 1 Felony) and Unlawful Distribution of a Lookalike Substance (Class 3 Felony);
• Jacob M. Goldsmith, 18, two counts Aggravated Unlawful Use of Weapons and Unlawful Sale of Firearms (Class 4 Felonies); and
• Adan E. Ibarra, 17, 11 counts Aggravated Unlawful Use of Weapons and 7 counts Unlawful Sale of Firearms (Class 4 Felonies); Unlawful Use of Weapons (Class 3 Felony); and Gunrunning (Class X Felony)

The federal cases are being prosecuted in U.S. District Court in Rockford by Assistant United States Attorney John G. McKenzie.

The public is reminded that indictments contain only charges and are not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and are entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

National Shooting Sports Foundation

NEWTOWN, Conn. –-(AmmoLand.com)-  Over the past year, the Don’t Lie for the Other Guy program — jointly developed by ATF and the National Shooting Sports Foundation — has been rolled out in several areas along the southwest border of the United States.

The campaign completed its fifth launch of the year last week in San Diego and continues to demonstrate the industry’s strong stance against illegal straw purchases of firearms.

The goal of the program is twofold: to warn residents and visitors about the severe penalties associated with illegally purchasing a firearm, and to educate federally licensed firearms retailers on how to better detect and deter potential straw purchasers.

“NSSF has for nearly a decade partnered with ATF and the Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of Justice Programs (OJP) on the Don’t Lie program. This partnership is a great example of coordination and tangible success on the federal, state and local levels and with federally licensed firearms retailers throughout the country,” said NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel Lawrence G. Keane.

Watch a video with testimonials from firearms retailers and ATF on the success of the program. Also, listen to a recent WCBS radio interview.

Retailers: Get Your Free ‘Don’t Lie’ Tool Kit
NSSF readily makes its “Don’t Lie for the Other Guy” retailer tool kit available for free to retailers wherever they live and do business. Retailers with multiple locations can request one for each store. Individual components of the retailer tool kit are also available upon request. Order online at www.dontlie.org or by contacting NSSF’s Cindy Brutting at cbrutting@nssf.org or 203-426-1320.

About NSSF
The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearms industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of more than 4,000 manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers. For more information, log on to www.nssf.org.

National Rifle Association

New York, NY - -(AmmoLand.com)- When New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino–both virulently anti-gun mayors–formed a new anti-gun group a few years ago, they envisioned the creation of a powerful force to lobby for new gun control laws. But in assembling their coalition, they failed to take two important things into account: first, the response of gun owners to this new threat, and second, that many mayors would not take kindly to being misled regarding the real purpose of Mayors Against Illegal Guns (MAIG.)

Over the past few years, even as they continue to claim they are only concerned with “illegal” guns, MAIG has worked to impose new restrictions on law-abiding gun owners by regulating guns shows, supporting reckless lawsuits against the firearm industry, and opposing the right of self-defense for law-abiding Americans with carry permits. Mayor Bloomberg, who sets the agenda for this radical group, is dedicated to the passage of highly restrictive gun laws. In an appearance on “Meet the Press,” Bloomberg announced that he would raise money to counter the influence of the NRA.

But there is a growing glitch in Bloomberg’s plan. More and more mayors are discovering the real purpose of MAIG, and are removing their names from the group’s list. After hearing from their constituents, over 40 Mayors Have Resigned from the group since it’s inception.

A number of mayors have provided the same reason for leaving the group: MAIG was not what they represented themselves to be. In her letter of resignation, Mayor Patricia Shontz (R) of Madeira Beach, Florida wrote,

“I am withdrawing because I believe the MAIG is attempting to erode all gun ownership, not just illegal guns. Additionally, I have learned that the MAIG may be working on issues which conflict with legal gun ownership.” She goes on to add, “It appears the MAIG has misrepresented itself to the Mayors of America and its citizens. This is gun control, not crime prevention.”

Mayor Shontz’s concerns were echoed by Mayor Josh Nowotarski (D) of Mount Penn, Pennsylvania, who wrote,

“I recently learned of the misrepresentations of the group and regret having joined in the first place.”

These sentiments were shared by a number of other mayors who have removed their name from the MAIG list.

Then there is the problem with MAIG’s list of mayors.  Many of the Mayors listed have either been voted out, resigned or died and it is unclear in the new mayors of these town are supporters of Mayors Against Illegal Guns but MAIG would have you go on believing they do. Next is the amount of Mayors that are under investigation or have been convicted of various crimes by state and federal agencies.  MAIG seems to have “forgotten” to mention that also.

Is your mayor a member MAIG? Click here to find out.

If your mayor is listed, contact the Mayor’s office and let them know the truth about MAIG and ask them to resign. If they say they are on the list in error, let them know they need to contact MAIG and have their name removed. If your mayor agrees that MAIG is not a group that he or she wants to belong to, encourage your mayor to resign and let NRA-ILA know that they have done so. Help your mayor make the right choice between protecting our Second Amendment rights or continuing to be associated with those who actively oppose and undermine your firearms freedom.

About:
Established in 1871, the National Rifle Association is America’s oldest civil rights and sportsmen’s group. Four million members strong, NRA continues its mission to uphold Second Amendment rights and to advocate enforcement of existing laws against violent offenders to reduce crime. The Association remains the nation’s leader in firearm education and training for law-abiding gun owners, law enforcement and the military.

National Rifle Association of America

About:
Established in 1871, the National Rifle Association is America’s oldest civil rights and sportsmen’s group. Four million members strong, NRA continues its mission to uphold Second Amendment rights and to advocate enforcement of existing laws against violent offenders to reduce crime. The Association remains the nation’s leader in firearm education and training for law-abiding gun owners, law enforcement and the military.

National Rifle Association of America

New York, NY --(AmmoLand.com)- PREET BHARARA, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and MICHELE M. LEONHART, the Acting Administrator of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), today announced that JAMAL YOUSEF, a/k/a “Talal Hassan Ghantou,” an international arms trafficker, was charged with participating in a narco-terrorism conspiracy. The charges stem from a plot by YOUSEF and co-conspirators to sell military-grade weapons to the Colombian terrorist group Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (the “FARC”), in exchange for nearly one metric ton of cocaine.

According to the Superseding Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:

YOUSEF is a former member of the Syrian military. From July 2008 until his arrest on the charges unsealed today, YOUSEF and co-conspirators in Honduras negotiated to sell military-grade weapons to the FARC in exchange for 938 kilograms of cocaine. However, unbeknownst to YOUSEF and his co-conspirators, the purported FARC representatives they were dealing with were, in fact, confidential informants working with the DEA. During the negotiations, YOUSEF’s co-conspirator described the weapons as including 100 AR-15 assault rifles, 100 M-16 assault rifles, 10 M-60 machine guns, C-4 explosives, 2,500 hand grenades, and rocket-propelled grenades. YOUSEF’s co-conspirator also offered to sell 17 to 18 surface-to-air missiles to the FARC, and e-mailed the confidential informants photographs of some of the weapons.

With the full cooperation and assistance of Interpol, YOUSEF was transferred to the United States after his release from a prison sentence served in Honduras. YOUSEF arrived today in New York and is expected to be arraigned in Manhattan federal court this afternoon.

The Superseding Indictment charges YOUSEF with one count of narco-terrorism conspiracy, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison. The case is assigned to United States District Judge JOHN F. KEENAN.

Mr. BHARARA praised the outstanding investigative work of the DEA, including its Special Operations Division Bilateral Investigations Unit and the Bogota, Colombia, Country Office. Mr. BHARARA also thanked Interpol and the Department of Justice National Security Division and Office of International Affairs for their assistance.

The prosecution of YOUSEF is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics Trafficking Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys JEFFREY A. BROWN and REBECCA MONCK RICIGLIANO are in charge of the prosecution.

The charges contained in the Superseding Indictment are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

“Buy a gun for someone who can’t and buy yourself 10 years in jail.”

BATFE

Tucson, Ariz., – -(AmmoLand.com)- The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona, Arizona Attorney General, and representatives from the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) – the trade association for the firearms industry – today announced a major campaign to reduce significantly the illegal straw purchases of firearms in Tucson.

The program, called “Don’t Lie for the Other Guy,” was developed to raise public awareness that it is a serious crime to purchase a firearm for someone who cannot legally do so or for someone who does not otherwise want his or her name associated with the transaction. The program is also designed to educate firearms dealers on how to better detect and deter potential straw purchases.

The campaign, which has been enhanced to better focus on the purchasers, drives home the message that anyone attempting an illegal firearm purchase faces a stiff federal penalty: Buy a gun for someone who can’t and buy yourself 10 years in jail.

Special Agent in Charge William Newell of the ATF Phoenix Field Division said, “As the agency responsible for oversight of the federal firearms laws, ATF is fully committed to our partnership with NSSF to aggressively address the illegal purchase of firearms by individuals who in many instances are pawns

“Through this program we are educating the federal firearms licensees, who are valuable ATF partners in preventing the illegal straw purchase of firearms, as well as those would-be straw purchasers, that this is a serious federal offense and that their illegal actions could be fueling a dangerous gang or drug war.”

“When a person is asked to buy a gun for someone else, they must understand that they are being asked to commit a federal felony,” said John J. Tuchi, Interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona. “That illegal buyer is responsible for arming felons, drug traffickers, and gang members. This District will not tolerate these straw purchasers.”

Residents and visitors to Tucson will see Don’t Lie for the Other Guy billboards and posters throughout the city and will hear the campaign’s strong message via radio and television public service announcements (PSA). Outdoor media signs will be displayed anywhere from four weeks to several months, and the PSA will be played for the next month.

“The ‘Don’t Lie for the Other Guy’ campaign is a valuable public safety partnership between law enforcement and the firearms industry,” said Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard. “Lying for somebody else to acquire a gun is a serious crime, and perpetrators will be caught and prosecuted. Lives will be saved, especially law enforcement officers, when we aggressively enforce these rules.”

NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel Lawrence G. Keane said, “This program has been welcomed by firearms retailers as a valuable educational tool to better enable them to spot would-be straw purchasers and prevent illegal straw purchases. Our goal in reaching out to the public is to warn them that they would be committing a serious crime by attempting to purchase a firearm for someone who cannot legally possess one. We applaud and appreciate the support of the ATF for joining with members of our industry in this cooperative effort.”

The Don’t Lie for the Other Guy program is a vital component of ATF’s outreach efforts to educate firearms dealers and their employees on how to better recognize and deter the illegal purchase of firearms through straw purchases. This program is an important tool for ATF to accomplish its mission of reducing violent crime and protecting the public. The campaign is reaching out to firearms retailers in the greater Tucson area and distributing Don’t Lie retailer education kits. Each kit contains a training video and brochure for the storeowner and staff as well as point-of-purchase displays aimed to deter this illegal activity.

Don’t Lie for the Other Guy is a joint program of ATF and the NSSF. Funding for the program comes from a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice.

About:
ATF – Is a unique law enforcement agency in the United States Department of Justice that protects our communities from violent criminals, criminal organizations, the illegal use and trafficking of firearms, the illegal use and storage of explosives, acts of arson and bombings, acts of terrorism, and the illegal diversion of alcohol and tobacco products.

We partner with communities, industries, law enforcement and public safety agencies to safeguard the public we serve through information sharing, training, research, and use of technology.

BATFE

Los Angeles, CA - -(AmmoLand.com)- An investigation into guns being trafficked from Arizona to California has led to the arrest of four individuals, one of whom sold several machine guns to a undercover operative and claimed to be tied to a Mexican drug cartel.

The four defendants were arrested early this morning by special agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and investigators with the Los Angeles Police Department. During the course of the 10-month investigation, authorities purchased or seized 50 firearms, including 17 guns that were discovered during the execution of search warrants this morning.

During the investigation, an undercover operative made a series of gun purchases from three of the defendants. The purchases included guns similar to AK- 47s, Uzis and AR-15s, some of which were fully automatic weapons.

Those arrested today are:

• Edgardo Prado Casteneda, aka “Primo,” 26, of Azusa, who claimed to be a Southern California operative of the La Familia drug cartel based in Michoacan, Mexico;
• Vicente Garcia Jr., aka “Chevy,” 38, of Azusa;
• Steven Scott Blanks, 47, of Norco; and
• Victor Velasquez, aka “Fingers,” 34, of El Monte, who is accused of delivering a quarter-pound of methamphetamine that was purchased by the undercover operative.

The four defendants are scheduled to make their initial appearances this afternoon in United States District Court in Los Angeles.

“Today’s arrests and enforcement actions conclude a successful investigation by LAPD and ATF into a firearms trafficking ring with possible ties to Mexican drug cartels,” said Christopher Shaefer, Acting Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Los Angeles Field Division. “Many firearms were taken off the street that may have otherwise ended up in the hands of those determined to further their criminal activity. ATF will continue to utilize our expertise in conducting firearms trafficking investigations, and will trace each firearm purchased or seized in this operation to determine who else may be facilitating illegal firearm sales.”

LAPD Captain Kevin McCarthy stated: “Today’s arrests were the result of a collaborative effort between the Los Angeles Police Department, ATF and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. By bringing together each agency’s unique expertise, we were able to effectively and efficiently stop this firearm and drug trafficking ring. LAPD will continue to work jointly with other agencies to further reduce crime in our city.”

The arrests were made today as Prado apparently made plans to collect a “debt” and possibly kidnap a man he said owed money to La Familia. Over the past several weeks, Prado allegedly had a series of conversations with the undercover operative about helping collect a large “debt” that a man owed to La Familia. According to the affidavit, Prado told the informant that a boss in the cartel that he called “Cuete” had sent a courier to Mexico to transport narcotics, but the courier was arrested and provided information to Mexican authorities that led to the arrest of another high-ranking cartel member in Mexico City. As a result of this, “Cuete” owed the Cartel $3 million. If the informant participated in the collection of the “debt,” Prado promised him a share of money that would be paid by the cartel.

A criminal complaint filed in United States District Court in Los Angeles charges Prado with selling firearms without a license and distributing methamphetamine. Garcia is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Blanks is charged with possession of a machine gun. Velasquez is charged with distribution of methamphetamine.

If convicted of the crimes alleged in the criminal complaint, the defendants would face maximum potential sentences of at least 10 years in prison.

A criminal complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

The investigation that led to today’s arrests was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Los Angeles Police Department. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department provided substantial assistance in this morning’s operation.

CONTACT: Special Assistant United States Attorney Shawn Nelson Violent and Organized Crime Section (213) 894-5339 Release No. 09-090

About:
ATF – Is a unique law enforcement agency in the United States Department of Justice that protects our communities from violent criminals, criminal organizations, the illegal use and trafficking of firearms, the illegal use and storage of explosives, acts of arson and bombings, acts of terrorism, and the illegal diversion of alcohol and tobacco products.

We partner with communities, industries, law enforcement and public safety agencies to safeguard the public we serve through information sharing, training, research, and use of technology.