Watertown man Arrested for too many guns-Needs help!

[eam5171]

A member in my family has recently come into trouble concerning his legally purchased firearms. I'll post a link to the news article and a link that will allow you to help him. All of the information that he can release right now is in those two spots. For a quick brief, he's active military that was recently re-stationed from Colorado to New York. He's originally from PA where his firearms were legally purchased. He "failed" to register all the firearms under New York law apparently when he recently moved (within a month). He's already served on several tours and has spent a lot of time away from his wife and young daughter. It's ludicrous that he is now facing a mandatory minimum of 3.5 years. The army has not offered help at this point....
Please share this everywhere you can. I saw people chatting about it on arfcom and a New York forum, but no one has this more personal information yet. If you are a member in other forums, please share this. We need to fight this and win this battle with the gun grabbers. This needs as much publicity as possible.
Thank you for your time
-Eric

http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/a...WS06/708209805

■ A clarification is needed for a news item placed in the briefs section of Monday’s edition regarding a Watertown man arrested Friday for improperly owning too many firearms at his residence. Garrett W. Rogers, 30, of 1429 Gill St., was arrested when city police found five unlicensed handguns and two rifles after responding to a domestic incident at the residence. He was charged with second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and two counts of third-degree possession of a weapon, answerable in City Court. The seven unlicensed weapons, which were bought and registered in Pennsylvania by Mr. Rogers, violated a statute in state penal law that charges individuals who possess five or more firearms with second-degree criminal possession. The weapons met the definition of a firearm under state penal law, Article 265.03, which includes assault weapons and unlicensed pistols. The two rifles found by police qualified as assault weapons because they both had a collapsible stock and pistol grip. The firearms limit was added to the law in 2005, according to the state Office of Public Safety, but does not apply to licensed pistols or long guns used for target shooting or hunting.

http://www.gofundme.com/44i540 <--- contains more info and the opportunity to help fight these ridiculous gun laws

my name is Garrett Rogers, I am an active duty medic in the United States Army stationed at ft. Drum, ny. I have two tours to Afghanistan and have been recognized with a valorous award saving some good friends lives downrange. I made this account to try and raise funds so I can afford the best legal representation I can find for my legal problems. I just moved to ft.drum from ft.carson Colorado, while living there and for years before I began collecting guns. When I moved here to ft.drum I failed to look into the states gun laws. As a result I am being charged with several felony charges for guns that I legally owned but failed to register here in New York. The night I was arrested I had been living here for a litle less then a month. I cannot disclose to much about my case but I can say that I did not do anything illegal to gain the attention of law enforcement officials to seize my weapons and arrest me, other then being honest. I have no prior record, I do not believe that I am guilty of the charges and feel that by hopefully winning my case we could work towards changing these rediculous laws. I served my country and still continue to, my wife and daughter have already spent enough time away from, I do not want to miss out on anymore of their lives. I hope that there are good Americans that understand, and we could work towards regaining our rights together. Thanks to all who read this story and thank you even more for a donation should you make one. Google Watertown man arrested for having too many firearms for forums and new articles.

[MikeinPhilly]

Everyone knows how bad NY is, why didn't he look into the law to see what he had to do? It's going to be tough for him to get out of this one I think.

All the more reason to never move there.

[RXM]

I don't agree with the law but his troubles are a consequence of him not doing his due diligence of researching the state's law before moving there.

[customloaded]

This sounds bad but the Army Medic had several alternatives to keeping the guns at his private residence. Not to mention, any gun owner would have to not only live under a rock, but live under the earth's Mantel not to know certain states are huge red flags when it comes to gun laws.

Yes it sucks for him but hey, the US Army has no fight in this incident nor interest. If anything, they will back New York State in it's prosecution of this Service Member.

I am lacking compassion for this Service Member.

CL

[eam5171]

People make mistakes. He knows he made a pretty big one here; I don't think we need further clarification of that. No compassion? Certainly not what I expected from people around here. I'm not saying you have to feel so bad for him and mourn over it, but there's a bigger issue at hand here. It's a fight to stop "common sense gun laws" such as this and retain our 2 amendment rights. This man has defended the rights you get to enjoy in this country. He has saved lives. He has already given up the 1st year of his 18 month old daughter's life while on a tour. You really believe he should be sentenced to a MANDATORY MINIMUM of 3.5 years behind bars now? Yes there may have to be some consequence. A fine or community service won't do? I'm really looking at the picture here of what the consequences will be over some missed paperwork. I agree he should've been more careful, but he's also got a lot on his mind... Being re-stationed across the country, moving his family and life's belongings safely, and other life's stresses.
What if this happened to a family member of yours? You going to tell them they were a dumbass and to piss off? I hope some of you others will see this a bit differently.

[yeager484]

I hope some of you others will see this s bit differently.

I'm with you here. I think the draconian laws we live under are bullshit. Radically different rules apply when you cross imaginary lines, and you don't always have the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Should he have done some homework on his new lands laws? Sure. Is the entire situation we all deal with a bit f'd when this homework becomes necessary? I think so.

[Pilot321]

I feel badly for him, and don't agree with New York gun laws. I do think the title of the thread is misleading though. He wasn't arrested for having too many guns. He was arrested for having unlicensed guns, and that is the law in NYS. Bad law? Yes, but it is still the law.

The other part of this that could be troubling is the domestic dispute in which caused the police to enter the home. Guns can be taken away very quickly at just the accusation of domestic abuse, WITHOUT due process. Was this an issue cited by the police?

[ray h]

So his wife had three and he had four, I don't see the problem.

[wanneroo]

Sadly this is the type of crap that goes on now in various states. It's up to those states and especially their citizens to change the law.

I don't know much else to do except what I already do and that is boycott New York State. I used to go up there to shop all the time and instead always drive the extra distance to Williamsport. Some of the people I work for have had me fly through Elmira, but if I do that I never stop for gas, food or to shop.

[customloaded]

People make mistakes. He knows he made a pretty big one here; I don't think we need further clarification of that. No compassion? Certainly not what I expected from people around here. I'm not saying you have to feel so bad for him and mourn over it, but there's a bigger issue at hand here. It's a fight to stop "common sense gun laws" such as this and retain our 2 amendment rights. This man has defended the rights you get to enjoy in this country. He has saved lives. He has already given up the 1st year of his 18 month old daughter's life while on a tour. You really believe he should be sentenced to a MANDATORY MINIMUM of 3.5 years behind bars now? Yes there may have to be some consequence. A fine or community service won't do? I'm really looking at the picture here of what the consequences will be over some missed paperwork. I agree he should've been more careful, but he's also got a lot on his mind... Being re-stationed across the country, moving his family and life's belongings safely, and other life's stresses.
What if this happened to a family member of yours? You going to tell them they were a dumbass and to piss off? I hope some of you others will see this a bit differently.

If it was a family member of mine, I would really be laughing my ass off at how stupid they are.

Let me put this in a better light for you.

When a person in the Army comes down on Orders, his boss knows, his bosses boss knows all the way up to the General. Then, the Service Member tells everyone they know they got orders to transfer to wherever. In this case, Fort Drum. Why? Because they start asking around if anyone was stationed there and what is it like etc...you know, gathering intel about the place. This guy is a gun guy. So he owned guns and never shot them? Or shot them by himself? Never once telling anyone he's stationed with he's a gun guy and shoots all the time? Any who, I would bet my life, my wife's life, and my kids life he was told by at least one (1) fellow Solider that New York State Firearms law sucks and he better check into the laws, not to take certain guns there, and that they have registration.

To further get my point across, A service member transferring from one post to another, they have to Attend Mandatory BRIEFINGS! During those briefings, the people giving the briefing clearly state that those service members who own firearms, in their own best interest, need to check the local laws on owning and transporting firearms into that state or country.

So I ask, how many people, fellow service members, supervisors, friends, family members, mandatory briefings when leaving the post and at the arriving post, specifically told Mr. Medic about Firearms laws in New York State and he choose to ignore them?

Yes the NYS laws are Bullshit. No I don't agree with the laws of NYS on firearms.

No compassion!

CL