Iranian citizen accused of stockpiling sniper rifles, ammo in Ferndale WA. (WA Border with Canada)

KOMO News ^ | 5-26-10 | Joel Moreno

[NavyCanDo]

SEATTLE -- There are more questions than answers in the case of a suspected international arms dealer caught in Washington state with a stockpile of sniper rifles.

Oliver King is an Iranian citizen who, in the past, has been a licensed gun dealer. King appeared in court in Seattle on Wednesday, accused of keeping a stash of guns and ammunition hidden in a storage unit near the U.S.-Canada border.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, King lied to enter the U.S. near Blaine last week. Agents with U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement became suspicious of King when he showed up at the border with a brand new passport, and a story about picking up his wife at Bellis Fair Shopping Mall in Bellingham.

Upon searching his car, agents found King's original passport, which has three visas for Iran and lists King's name as Hamid Malekpour.

At King's storage locker in Ferndale, agents found $30,000 worth of police-grade sniper rifles, handguns and ammunition.

[Dayman]

Illegal alien? Please post or link to a story that says that because what is posted here is that he entered legally through a checkpoint. There is also nothing regarding an intent to reside in the US, a key component to being an alien as opposed to a visitor on a day (or longer) visa which are freely available at the border checkpoints. Absent another data source you are assuming facts not in evidence.

The passport provided was valid. Whether it was illegally obtained has yet to be determined. The 2nd passport was canceled which makes it irrelevant (and not illegal to possess) regardless of who it was issued to.

My bone of contention is that the firearms have nothing to do with the arrest and, so far, have not been demonstrated to be illegal. Pre-emptive confiscation of legally held arms is a frightening concept I don't want to happen in this country, regardless of who they are taken off of.

We are in agreement that what happened to Martha Stewart was a travesty. They went after her because of who she was, not what she did (allegedly)

[Vendome]

Nope. They allowed him to enter the U.S. under an assumed name on a foreign passport and found his original. But, hey, if you like: An Iranian Attempting to enter the U.S, With a passport given to him on that day, Under and assumed name(He begins the process of being in this country illegally with that passport) Another passport that is found in the car, in direct contravention to his story "It was washed in the laundry" Three Visas to enter Iran He did not have a day pass Visa to enter the U.S. "You are assuming facts that don't exist" A now "Illegal" Alien storing guns, in a storage locker, in the U.S. tsk, tsk.... Taken in toto, you have the ability to create a narrative(sorry you don't agree but, the government will make up a remarkable story when they want) and you now have a criminal alien(Now illegal) with guns and no longer has a FFL. Whose side are you on? America's or theirs? So now I read your post further and you are plain dumb, period. It looks like you have been doing your research to bolster your lame claims. The second passport was cancelled and is irrelevant? LOL, dude! He used that passport to gain admission to the U.S.! They found the first passport and allowed him to enter, under suspicion and trailed him. AND YES! A SECOND PASSPORT, UNDER A FALSE IDENTITY, IS IN FACT, 100% AGAINST THE LAW. (pssst, don't ask a Mexican though, people are not illegal) Taking the arms is part of the process of an investigation. Chain of custody, etc, blah, blah, as I discussed before.

The Iranian native also lied about why he had a new Canadian passport just issued that morning, the complaint said. He told border guards that his old one had gone through the wash, but agents found it during a secondary inspection — with no water damage. The old one, which was not set to expire until 2013, had been canceled, but it was not immediately clear why.

 

Hmm.... It was cancelled to conceal his new identity?

Bottom Line for me, is it will play out in the courts and he isn't an American. He should know better than to play games. F Him...

[One Name]

I’d expect the same if I gave a shady reason to go to Canada. Be like saying I was going fishing with no reservations, no poles and oh by the way I have to pick up my wife at Canadian Tire.

[jospehm20]

They are, after all, Police Grade!

[Cindy]

http://media.komonews.com/images/100526_Oliver_King.jpg

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UPDATE:

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/95465329.html

Story Published: Jun 2, 2010 at 4:38 PM PDT Story Updated: Jun 2, 2010 at 7:16 PM PDT

SEATTLE —

SNIPPET: “Upon searching his car, agents found King’s original passport, which has three visas for Iran and lists King’s name as Hamid Malekpour.”

SNIPPET: “The cache of weapons found inside the storage unit included: two .308 caliber rifles, three .300 caliber rifles, one .50 BMG caliber rifle, two .223 caliber carbine, six .223 caliber rifles, one 9mm handgun, one .45 caliber handgun, three 10 mm handgun, two 12 gauge shotguns, one 21 handgun, one 22. caliber firearm, one MGA2 rifle, and two additional unspecified firearm.

Investigators also found approximately 152 .223 caliber magazines, some 1,100 rounds of .223 caliber ammunition and about 559 rounds of .50 BMG caliber ammunition.”