Fed inquiry rounds up 23 illegal gun dealers

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

A three-year multiagency investigation has led to the indictments of 23 illegal gun dealers and the seizure of some 500 handguns, rifles and sawed-off shotguns, federal authorities said Friday.

Twenty-one of the defendants were charged with 153 counts of selling firearms to convicted felons, while other charges included illegal gun sales at flea markets in West Tennessee.

"The investigation began at the flea markets, but it spread out from there," said Nathaniel Jones of the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, which led the gun probe. "These defendants sold firearms to known felons."

Jones said undercover agents made numerous purchases of illegal weapons and later seized many more in areas stretching from Martin, Tenn., to Corinth, Miss. The investigation is ongoing and arrest warrants have been issued in Tennessee, Mississippi and Arkansas.

Among those indicted is Casey Jones, a jail administrator for the Wayne County Sheriff's Department. Jones is charged with one count of dealing firearms without a license.


http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2008/mar/01/fed-inquiry-rounds-up-23-illegal-gun-dealers/


Great story. Glad to see the BATF enforcing current laws and prosecuting people selling firearms to criminals. I wish the punishments were more severe. Sorry I missed it in when it happened I hadn't been here long, thanks to the person who brought it to my attention.

David

[provis99]

1. This is the first step in the New World Order to put us in chains!

Fooled ya.;)

[MichaelHarris]

2. The BATFE

tries very hard to do good work but the NRA and gun fanatics keep undermining their efforts.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

3. You seem to know a lot about their beliefs, enlighten us.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

4. Just like VPC, DHS, TSA, and your local SWAT Team

[MichaelHarris]

5. fear

much?

[ProgressiveProfessor]

6. No, laugh mostly

BATFE is one of the least respected Federal law enforcement organizations. Their recent shenanigans in border areas being one example of many.

[MichaelHarris]

7. taking

23 illegal gun dealers off the streets and the seizure of some 500 handguns, rifles and sawed-off shotguns that could have been used to kill children is pretty damn funny.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

8. There have been enough bogus ones to tarnish just about anything they do

I have some experience working with them from within the Federal bureaucracy. It sure wasn't fun.

[Merchant Marine]

10. Yeah

Every one in a while they get the address right when they go 'round kicking in doors.

[ManiacJoe]

16. Are we talking about the same BATFE?

[gorfle]

18. LOL, no.

I am a member of the NRA. I get their publication every month, "America's First Freedom". The NRA is, and always has been a huge proponent of punishing criminals who commit firearm-related crimes. Their mantra is, "Enforce the laws we have".

And it's no surprise that licensed dealers would blow the whistle on private individuals selling too many firearms - the don't want the unfair competition.

I'm glad to see these criminals prosecuted.

[SteveM]

19. If BATFE spent more $ on enforcement instead of tables, it might do better (nt)

[krispos42]

9. Good.

Very good indeed. A couple of decades in federal prison sounds like an excellent idea.

[AtheistCrusader]

11. Good. I hope they sieze all assets, and make an example out of these assholes.

I wish they would move faster on these things though. 3 years to catch 23 people? Get a wiggle on already.

What, are they competing internally to see how many individual counts they can gather against each suspect?

[slackmaster]

12. Good work!

Get the scum off the streets.

[spin]

13. Good!

Enforcing existing law is always a good idea.

[Xela]

14. Good news

Refreshing to hear of their good efforts.

Xela

[Tim01]

15. Good.

I'm glad to see laws being enforced.






Although with the BATF involved, I hope they were all actual badguys.

[X_Digger]

17. Excellent! Now hit NICS rejections

When a person lies on the 4473 form, and is rejected due to being on the prohibited list, the person has committed a crime. The FBI has a mandate to pass these 'fail's to the BATFE for investigation.

There have been > 700,000 NICS denials since it came online in 1998, but only a small amount are ever investigated, much less prosecuted-

from http://www.usdoj.gov/oig/reports/ATF/e0406/exec.htm

"Our review also found that few NICS cases are prosecuted. During CYs 2002 and 2003, only 154 (less than 1 percent) of the 120,000 persons who were denied during the NICS background check were prosecuted."

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

20. Great point.