ATF Agents Arrest 14 in Multistate Operation(Gestapo Alert!)

PRNewswire via Yahoo ^ | May 21, 2004

[SteveH]

ATF Agents Arrest 14 in Multistate Operation(Gestapo Alert!)

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/040521/clf044_1.html

May 21, 2004

ATF Agents Arrest 14 in Multistate Operation

Friday May 21, 5:17 pm ET

RENO, Nev., May 21 /PRNewswire/ -- John A. Torres, Special Agent In Charge of the San Francisco Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), announced today that ATF agents in California, Nevada, Idaho, Utah and Washington State participated in the arrests of 14 people after a federal grand jury returned indictments charging them with federal firearms violations. All of the defendants were charged with dealing firearms without a license, illegal sales of firearms, possession of unregistered firearms, and possession of firearms by prohibited persons. One of those arrested, Laquan J. Abdulrahim of East Palo Alto, Calif., was also charged with possession of body armor by a violent felon, the first time a defendant in Nevada has been charged with this federal violation. This charge alone carries a maximum penalty of three years in federal prison.

Dubbed "Operation Over The Line," the year-long investigation into the illegal purchasing and trafficking of firearms ultimately led agents to individuals in three other states. During the course of the investigation, more than 400 firearms were seized with dozens more to be retrieved in the near future. ATF undercover agents purchased approximately 30-40 firearms from various individuals, including some that were illegal. The agents purchased firearms from federally licensed firearms dealers (FFLs) as well as unlicensed dealers.

"Although some of these transactions took place at various gunshows in Nevada, a minority group of people chose to use gunshows as a conduit to conduct their illegal activities," Torres said. "The gun shows were not the target of our investigation."

In addition to the arrest warrants, agents served a federal search warrant at the residence and business of Larry B. Reimer, of Pahrump, Nev. Reimer was arrested pursuant to the grand jury indictments. Reimer, a licensed firearms dealer, was charged with the illegal transfer of a semiautomatic weapon and the illegal sale of a firearm. These charges carry a maximum penalty of five years each in federal prison.

Among the items recovered at another search warrant location in Nevada were a number of firearms, including machine guns, as well as explosive materials.

Torres praised the Reno Police Department, Washoe County Sheriff's Department, the Nevada Highway Patrol, California Highway Patrol, the West Sacramento Police Department and the California Department of Justice for assisting ATF in this investigation.

"ATF will continue to reduce illicit firearms trafficking by investigating individuals who provide firearms to prohibited persons, who deal without a license, and who sell firearms illegally. Working with our state and local partners toward this endeavor will keep firearms out of the hands of criminals," Torres said.

More information on ATF is available at www.atf.gov .

Contacts: Nina S. Delgadillo, PIO, ATF Pager: 888-533-8597 Tom Cannon, Resident Agent In Charge Office Phone: 775-784-5251

Source: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives

[gatex]

"...but if you break the law, you'll be punished,..."

Did FBI sniper Lon Horiuchi, who killed Vickie Weaver, at Ruby Ridge, with an un-Constitutional shot from ambush, get punished ?

[gatex]

"It doesn't. You can live on Maple Street, or Court Drive, or even at the corner of Juniper Boulevard. You STILL cannot be a violent felon in New York and own body armor."

I'm willing to bet that New York doesn't even allow violent, non-felon, citizens to own body armor --on those same streets.

[Poohbah]

If the ATF is making the charge, it's a federal offense, right?

[GLSchnJR]

What are you talking about! You got the wrong person as I did not post that which you replied!

[gatex]

You didn't post this (post 19 )?

"To: SteveH
" It seems you have failed to remember Waco and Ruby Ridge where Clinton trying to appease his tree hugging friends clearly went over the line! People have the right to bear arms but not have banned or unregistered weapons.. As for passing judgement because of a name! We earned that right 9/11/01. These people were clearly not upstanding people or we would not even be discussing this. Janet Reno violated more civil rights than anyone in recent history yet you fail to mention this."
" 19 posted on 05/23/2004 3:20:00 AM PDT by GLSchnJR (Justice was Served) "

[jmc813]

Just because you dont agree with a law doesn't give you carte blanche to break it.

If a future Hillary presidency enacted a total ban on firearms, would you turn yours in?

[RS]

"I guess now that the border problem is all fixed ..."

illegal immigrants, illegal weaons transfer...

What part of illegal don't you understand ?

[Sunnyvale CA Eng.]

I was being sarcastic (months ago when I wrote that). I fully understand what "illegal" means.

[mrexitement]

It is better to be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.

Yours may be the most ignorant post I have ever read on this site and there have been some real winners.

Your position that you would rather deal with murderers governed by no law and answerable only to themselves with a standing policy to exterminate certain races and political enemies rather than a US law enforcement agency is defensible only to an utter moron such as yourself. If you thought for one second about how stupid your comment was you would be embarrassed and ashamed.

I'll take dealing with a US law enforcement agency and you can deal with the Nazi's. We'll see who ends up in a concentration camp or dead and who will end up in a US court of law with legal representation.

[mrexitement]

In a combat situation, the troops follow their leaders orders. The footsoldiers were told that Koresh was a cult leader and was abusing children in the compound. Their fellow ATF were killed in the first assault. They wanted payback against what they understood was a cult of child abusing cop killing maniacs.

We only understood after the fact that the ATF leadership was a bunch of idiots who ended up killing by their orders lots off innocent people. You can't blame the footsoldier in this situation just as you can't blame the footsoldier for following what he thought was a lawful order in any combat situation.

[mrexitement]

Agreed... these guys posting this crap about the Gestapo is equal to the ATF are just sickening.

[LarkNeelie]

"I'm not into just pre-judging people by their names (or ethnicity, or any other superficial trait."

So you claim - even though your post title had GESTAPO ALERT added - which, even if that was part of the original post you pulled, you posted without any comment, disclaimer or opinion. Therefore, one can only assume that this is your own opinion of that matter - even without knowing the details of the operation. Thus, I would have to say that your criticism of "reactionaries" applies to yourself in this case and that you did indeed "pre-judge" someone by superficial attributes.

[NJ Neocon]

Well said. Nothing like a dose of reality & civility.

Bravo.