Arkansas airport exec wounded in gunfight with federal agents at home, likely won't s

[Bang]

I'm interested in seeing the profile that fits airport manager.

[Mosinshooter762]

Yes. It doesn't sound like Arkansas private sales of handguns would have saved this guy.

He would have had to know, or at least have had a reasonable cause to believe, that the person was in a prohibited category under federal law. It seems Arkansas law is similar in this respect with its state prohibited criteria.

Rather, it seems the crux of the investigation is the unlicensed dealing of firearms.

This is an aspect of federal law that the Biden Administration is weaponizing again against gun owners after decades of hiatus. My understanding is this was also weaponized after the passage of the Gun Control Act of 1968 in the seventies and eighties. These abuses lead to the passage in 1986 of the Firearms Owners Protection Act (FOPA). This act, among other things, tightened up the definition of dealer in firearms in favor of gun owners. This lead to a decades long hiatus (for the most part) in the weaponization of the unlicensed dealer in firearms charge.

Unfortunately, this legal protection seems to have been at least partially undone by the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act in 2022. This act redefined dealer in firearms to be less favorable to gun owners than what was passed in 1986 with FOPA. Though, whether this particular case is the most egregious example of the weaponization of this new definition is subject to debate.

Finally, remember that using a Federal Firearms Licensee to transfer firearms that one (who is not an FFL) sells or even just selling firearms to an FFL does not in itself immunize one from any unlicensed dealing of firearms charges.

[Krichardson]

.....the dead guy's brother talks too much.

[bortle]

.....the dead guy's brother talks too much.

Maybe he'll commit suicide out of sadness. 2 shots to the back of the head and hang himself with an extention cord.

[rev214]

https://www.shootingnewsweekly.com/2...cessive-force/

[Capt]

No death pelanty for murder, rape or kindnapping, but get accused of selling guns and your're dead.

[TSimonetti]

This guy sold many many guns over the past few years, including handguns, at gun shows and in private meet-ups. In reading the redacted warrant, I think there was an undercover ATF agent who got involved with him at some point as well. Some of his handguns were confiscated in drug busts and/or found with prohibited persons. The ATF investigated his gun purchases. They got a search warrant to raid the guys home. Unfortunately if you sell to a prohibited person or a gun you used to own is involved in a crime, you can be held liable. I think the fact that he sold at gun shows was a primary reason they wanted to make a big splash with this raid. There is no doubt in my mind that they wanted to send a message and put a chill on private sales(or sales in general) at gun shows. They could have easily slapped cuffs on him at any point in his daily routine without too much fuss, but they wanted this raid. They NEEDED this raid. For the agenda.

[father-of-five]

No death pelanty for murder, rape or kindnapping, but get accused of selling guns and your're dead.

Sadly, this does appear to be the practice these days. Given that the CDC has eliminated the defensive gun use category, I wonder if they have a separate law enforcement gun use category.

[Mosinshooter762]

This guy sold many many guns over the past few years, including handguns, at gun shows and in private meet-ups. In reading the redacted warrant, I think there was an undercover ATF agent who got involved with him at some point as well. Some of his handguns were confiscated in drug busts and/or found with prohibited persons. The ATF investigated his gun purchases. They got a search warrant to raid the guys home. Unfortunately if you sell to a prohibited person or a gun you used to own is involved in a crime, you can be held liable. I think the fact that he sold at gun shows was a primary reason they wanted to make a big splash with this raid. There is no doubt in my mind that they wanted to send a message and put a chill on private sales(or sales in general) at gun shows. They could have easily slapped cuffs on him at any point in his daily routine without too much fuss, but they wanted this raid. They NEEDED this raid. For the agenda.

It is important to note that the warrant does not allege that he violated the Gun Control Act of 1968 by illegally selling to prohibited persons. While the ATF is definitely targeting high frequency private sellers (and this case is likely an example of that), it is important to note that selling to or through an FFL is not a per se defense to the charges the warrant cites. The following are the alleged illegalities being investigated according to the warrant affidavit:

(To see the warrant and affidavit:
https://wehco.media.clients.ellingto...RICT_COURT.pdf)

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/922

18 U.S. Code § 922 - Unlawful acts

(a) It shall be unlawful-

(1) for any person-

(A) except a licensed importer, licensed manufacturer, or licensed dealer, to engage in the business of importing, manufacturing, or dealing in firearms, or in the course of such business to ship, transport, or receive any firearm in interstate or foreign commerce; or

. . .

(6) for any person in connection with the acquisition or attempted acquisition of any firearm or ammunition from a licensed importer, licensed manufacturer, licensed dealer, or licensed collector, knowingly to make any false or fictitious oral or written statement or to furnish or exhibit any false, fictitious, or misrepresented identification, intended or likely to deceive such importer, manufacturer, dealer, or collector with respect to any fact material to the lawfulness of the sale or other disposition of such firearm or ammunition under the provisions of this chapter;

. . .

The crux of the investigation is unlicensed dealing, and giving false information to an FFL (ie. certifying on Form 4473 that the firearms purchased were him and/or certifying that he was not unlicensed dealing).

According to the warrant, the investigation seems to have started by a Canadian Police ATF trace request. The trace request was based on a photograph of firearms provided by a confidential informant. The warrant notes that the pistols were not seized by police. Some of the serial numbers were apparently visible in the photo. Based on the available serial numbers they traced this back to this airport executive. ATF then searched the multiple purchaser database and this revealed that he purchased approximately 92 handguns from November 2021 to December 2023. This included many purchases of similar make and model.

There are a lot of details in the warrant including a few seizures of firearms from alleged prohibited persons. These examples were used as part of the probable cause for a search warrant for unlicensed dealing and giving false information to an FFL (on Form 4473) relating to certifying that he was not unlicensed dealing and/or certifying that the firearms were for himself.

[TSimonetti]

The crux of the investigation is unlicensed dealing, and giving false information to an FFL (ie. certifying on Form 4473 that the firearms purchased were him and/or certifying that he was not unlicensed dealing).

But he did not give false information. The question asked if he was the actual buyer. He was the actual buyer. At the point of sale, there was no one pre-determined to own that gun other than him. So where is the lie? The question does not ask him to "certify" that he was not unlicensed dealing nor selling ANY of his guns EVER.

Now look, this guy appears to have been taking things to extreme heights as far as reselling his guns and the number of guns he was selling in a certain amount of time, but really the way this question is now being interpreted, anyone who sells their firearms privately can be subject to ATF harassment and/or prosecution. It is only a matter of time before they arrest some "evil" 81 year old non ffl holder who shows up at a show or lists on gunbroker or some gun forum to privately sell a part of his collection. It's what they want to happen, so it's gonna happen. They are just going after the low hanging fruit now. They are conditioning the public to demonize and avoid private sales.