Date With Law Enforcement


B2Tall

Stirrer of the Pot
I've got a strong feeling I'll be meeting with local LE and possibly ATF soon.

2.5 yrs ago I sold a co-worker (at the time) a pistol. This week that gentleman was arrested on drug and federal firearm charges. I know of 2 other people who sold him guns (a FFL and another private citizen) that LE has already been in contact with with regards to his arrest. Fortunately I have a copy of the bill of sale along with copies of his DL and CCW. Should be interesting.

Hey Treo.....should I go ahead and hire a lawyer now?? :biggrin:
 

I had a date with law enforcement once; now I'm married to her. :biggrin:
 
Well I think as long as you followed your state laws it shouldn't matter . In Ohio a FTf sale you don't even need to get A bill of sale ... Just make sure there 21 and it's best of they have a Ccw . They show you that and it's good to go from there
 
I've got a strong feeling I'll be meeting with local LE and possibly ATF soon.

2.5 yrs ago I sold a co-worker (at the time) a pistol. This week that gentleman was arrested on drug and federal firearm charges. I know of 2 other people who sold him guns (a FFL and another private citizen) that LE has already been in contact with with regards to his arrest. Fortunately I have a copy of the bill of sale along with copies of his DL and CCW. Should be interesting.

Hey Treo.....should I go ahead and hire a lawyer now?? :biggrin:
And how did they find out about the private sales? Sounds like a stool pigeon.
 
I have bought and sold many guns too over the years. I often wonder where each of these has now ended up as well.

Never had one come back to haunt me though, not yet.
 
Make copies of the documents. Supply these copies if they do show up but then refuse to answer any other questions without counsel present. Move the originals to a secure site. Do not mistake these people for friends. You have committed no crime but each year innocent people are released from prison after years of legal battle. Don't talk yourself into jail.
 
Hey Treo.....should I go ahead and hire a lawyer now?? :biggrin:

Seriously?

You should not only hire a lawyer you should let the ATF you will not be answering any questions w/out a written guarantee of immunity from prosecution.

Well I think as long as you followed your state laws it shouldn't matter

You are probably not aware but there are over twenty thousand federal gun laws on the books are you 100% certain you are in compliance w/ all of them?

The ATF and the Police are investigating a crime and even if you know where you tie into it you don't know where they think you tie into it.

I am 100% serious I wouldn't walk into that meeting w/out a lawyer and I wouldn't answer the first question unless who ever is prosecuting gives me a written guarantee that I am immune from prosecution
 
And how did they find out about the private sales? Sounds like a stool pigeon.

I'm sure he told them. He also probably kept the bill of sale. Regardless, since I bought it new from a FFL it can eventually be traced back to me and you can be darn sure that ATF is going to research every gun thoroughly. He had a rather large gun collection and if I had to guess they were all obtained legally. The federal firearm charges are stemming from 2 illegally modified AR-type pistols (he put stocks on them). He turned them into SBRs without the proper paperwork. LE only found out about them after they raided his house for drugs.

BSO had a big press conference where they displayed the guns along with cash and drugs. Talk about sensationalism....that's the only reason to display the guns....out of the 81 firearms he had, those 2 SBRs were the only ones mentioned as being illegal. The ironic thing is that the sheriff, who was at the press conference, attended the annual NRA banquet the night before (i.e. the "Freedom to Own Guns" banquet). I was there too. He came over and greeted my friend - an FFL who sold the suspect several of the guns that were siezed, including one of the aforementioned AR pistols.
 
I am not an attorney and this is not legal advice.

Never talk to the police without a lawyer. As Treo said, there are so many gun laws that you need to make sure you ate in compliance with all of them. Keep your mouth shut, stop posting about it, and call an attorney. You can talk yourself into free room and board if you aren't careful.

Remember a few things. First, it is a felony to provide false information to a Federal Agent, even unintentionally (rarely prosecuted when accidental but it isn't exempted). Second, your statements can ONLY be used against you, not for you. Third, don't speak except at direction of counsel.

It may be an overreaction but a bit of prep can save years of headaches.

Now, log off the forum and say no more about this publicly.
 
I'm sure he told them. He also probably kept the bill of sale. Regardless, since I bought it new from a FFL it can eventually be traced back to me and you can be darn sure that ATF is going to research every gun thoroughly. He had a rather large gun collection and if I had to guess they were all obtained legally. The federal firearm charges are stemming from 2 illegally modified AR-type pistols (he put stocks on them). He turned them into SBRs without the proper paperwork. LE only found out about them after they raided his house for drugs.

BSO had a big press conference where they displayed the guns along with cash and drugs. Talk about sensationalism....that's the only reason to display the guns....out of the 81 firearms he had, those 2 SBRs were the only ones mentioned as being illegal. The ironic thing is that the sheriff, who was at the press conference, attended the annual NRA banquet the night before (i.e. the "Freedom to Own Guns" banquet). I was there too. He came over and greeted my friend - an FFL who sold the suspect several of the guns that were siezed, including one of the aforementioned AR pistols.

The perpetrator must have been the pain clinic guy down in Ft. Lauderdale. I read something about it this week.
 
Now, log off the forum and say no more about this publicly.

My trepidation doesn't run that deep.

There's a 99% chance later this afternoon that I'll be talking to the private citizen who was already questioned. I'll definitely be talking to my FFL friend (the one who sold him the AR pistol in question) in a couple of hours. I'll see what they have to say.

I've researched the pertinent laws previously and I'm convinced I was within them when I sold him the gun. Actually, I went above and beyond state law by getting copies of his DL and permit. As I said in another thread a while back - I'll see what questions they ask (if they question me at all) before I decide to lawyer-up.
 
Considering the current state of LE I'd never talk to a federal agent without an attorney. Just not a smart thing to do.
 
Considering the current state of LE I'd never talk to a federal agent without an attorney. Just not a smart thing to do.

I just spoke to a BSO deputy that I know and he said it would be unlikely that LE (either local or ATF) would be contacting me. The legal issue is only with 2 of the guns and the G36 I sold him isn't one of them. Apparently the 2 people who were contacted were the 2 who sold him the guns that were later illegally modified.
 
As an attorney, I tell clients not to speak to law enforcement period. Usually people say something they think is innocent, but is actually something that can get them in a lot of trouble. When in doubt, don't say one word.
 
As an attorney, I tell clients not to speak to law enforcement period. Usually people say something they think is innocent, but is actually something that can get them in a lot of trouble. When in doubt, don't say one word.

When you're 100% positive don't say a word.
 
I would find an attorney in your area that specializes in gun laws and explain your situation to him/her and just sit and wait.
If they do come I would not talk to them without the attorney present....

This is why I do not sell guns......
 
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Robert Jackson said:
"Any lawyer worth his salt will tell the suspect in no uncertain terms to make no statement to police under any circumstances."

If one of the most respected jurists of the twentieth century can't convince you, I never will
 

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