Posted on 09/08/2001 8:35:26 AM PDT by RGSpincich
x Saturday, September 8, 2001 Beck passed first ATF search
By Kathleen Sweeney
Staff Writer
SANTA CLARITA -- James Allen Beck tied up his German shepherd and walked outside his Brentwood home a year ago to wait while federal agents searched the house for weapons. Officials had been investigating Beck for impersonating a deputy U.S. attorney after receiving a tip he was bragging to acquaintances about his high-status job and carrying several semiautomatic weapons and ammunition.
The search was fruitless.
But a year later, a similar search -- a hunt for more weapons at his new Stevenson Ranch home -- didn't go as expected.
"We plan," said Latese Baker, a federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms spokeswoman. "A lot of times these are unpredictable. No one knew he would have reacted like this."
Beck, 35, who police learned was a disgraced former policeman, wouldn't cooperate with this search as he had on June 22, 2000. Instead, he opened fire on authorities, killing Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputy Hagop "Jake" Kuredjian, and then terrorizing his quiet, safe neighborhood.
What went wrong a week ago remains unknown. The sheriff's homicide unit is continuing to investigate the shootout and slaying, and is not responding to questions that linger among neighbors, friends and co-workers.
What is known is that federal agents who arrived at Beck's home at 5 a.m. Aug. 31 didn't expect that a man, thought to have about 200 weapons and boxes of ammunition stored in his home, would be dangerous.
Lt. Ray Peavy, who is heading the investigation, did not return numerous telephone calls last week.
Though the searches took place more than a year apart, court documents show both stemmed from tips about the same behavior.
The investigation first began in June 2000. An ATF agent received a phone call about a man representing himself as a deputy U.S. attorney, who carried a badge and firearm both on his belt and in his Chevrolet sport-utility vehicle, documents said.
During the investigation, agents discovered Beck had been released from prison in August 1998 after serving nearly six years for a first-degree burglary conviction. Less than a year later, he had possession of five firearms.
On June 22, agents arrived at Beck's mother's Brentwood home to search for weapons, ammunition, documents or receipts related to the sale, purchase or possession of the firearms, and any other evidence showing the identity of the person controlling the weapons, documents said. During that search, agents obtained four more search warrants for three storage containers and a gun safe located at a Marina Del Rey moving company.
No evidence was recovered, but that didn't end the investigation.
Less than a month later, investigators obtained Beck's credit card bills that showed between April 2, 1999, and Feb. 5, 2000, he spent more than $1,500 at Turner's Outdoorsman in Pasadena and Chino, court documents show. He purchased rifle ammunition, holsters, a knife and numerous boxes of various ammunition.
Then, last month, Beck's Stevenson Ranch neighbors told agents bizarre stories of the man who claimed he was a U.S. marshal and a marshal K-9 handler, court documents said.
Informants told police Beck talked about being a marshal for 14 years and that he often confiscated weapons like four assault rifles the informant saw propped up against his living room couch, court documents said. Beck also showed the informant a gun lock box in his vehicle.
Others said Beck complained about the "hard grind" of working as a marshal and carried a 9 mm handgun in his waistband, documents said. Informants also told agents Beck said he kept case files, work-related equipment and weapons locked in a gun safe in his garage.
Neighbors then told investigators that Beck told stories about working as a marshal and that he always carried a .44-caliber handgun and stored more than 200 guns in his garage safe, documents said. Another neighbor told agents they watched Beck put his "police dog" through its paces in the street.
On Aug. 31, the second warrant was served.
So the bottom line here is: if you're like ME, and you just purchased a new .308 rifle for deer hunting season, some ammunition, a new field dressing knife and some new outdoor gear totalling about $1700, you can expect a visit no-knock RAID on your home, because the ATF has access to these records?
Ok, it's official: I am now totally afraid of this Government, it doesn't matter WHO is in the White House!!!
She is the only living person who might have a story to tell that differs from the official version, and she has never been seen or heard from again since being taken into "protective custody" the morning of the raid.
Is this SOP?
Am I just a "cop-hater" for daring to ask the question?
Typical of the quality of police intelligence.
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He'd had enough harassment and bull crap.
So where's the 200 weapons? They never existed.
RLK
Of course 5 am. Catch him asleep, much less chance of confrontation.
this article also states he bragged about having 200 guns in a garage gunsafe. I don't recall the police saying they found this many.
Botom line is don't tell your neighbors about your "collection", it turns into an "arsenal" real quick.
Should I fear a visit from the BATF/DEA/FBI/ect... on an "informers" paid tip?
Beck was a nut job. He was a thief. He was a liar and a braggart. He opened fire on other citizens. He killed one of them. He is now dead. Good riddance.
That thought never entered my mind but it does seem rather plausible now that you mentioned it.
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