Former BCSO sheriff, undersheriff named in cross-country machine gun scheme (NM, ABQ-area sheriff)

The Albuquerque Journal ^ | Oct 26, 2023 | Matthew Reisen

[CedarDave]

Former Bernalillo County Sheriff Manuel Gonzales and Undersheriff Rudy Mora are named — but not charged — in an alleged scheme to illegally acquire machine guns for firearms dealers and gun enthusiasts in Albuquerque and elsewhere.

James Christopher Tafoya, the owner of the now-shuttered JCT Firearms in Albuquerque, is charged with conspiracy to violate federal gun laws, unlawful importation of a firearm and making false statements in firearms records in the case.

Federal authorities say Gonzales and Mora, who was chief of Laguna Pueblo police at the time, submitted more than 100 letters to Tafoya, asking for the import of automatic weapons for a demonstration, in case BCSO or Laguna police wanted to purchase them.

Automatic weapons have been restricted in the U.S. for decades but, according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, can be imported following a written request by a local law enforcement agency, known as a law or demo letter.

Mora and Gonzales submitted dozens of such letters to Tafoya requesting ATF approval for more than 1,000 machine guns or short-barrel rifles, according to court records. Of the machine guns requested, more than a dozen were imported into the country by the alleged ringleader in the scheme, Sean Sullivan.

It is unclear from charging documents if Mora or Gonzales benefited from the alleged scheme in any way or if any of the guns made it to Tafoya.

Also charged in the case are Matthew Hall, former chief of police in Coats, North Carolina; James Sawyer, chief of police in Ray, North Dakota; and Larry Vickers, a firearms dealer and enthusiast who reviews guns on YouTube.

[CedarDave]

According to the ABQ Journal, Gonzales and Mora could not be reached Thursday and did not return Journal calls and messages for comment.

Gonzales was sworn in as BCSO sheriff in 2009 and retired in 2022 following a failed campaign attempt to become mayor of Albuquerque. Gonzales swore Mora in as undersheriff in 2014, and Mora retired in 2019.

[CedarDave]

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[Disambiguator]

If there was no NFA this wouldn’t be a news story.

[DesertRhino]

What this really about is ATF targeting local sheriffs who sign NFA letters. They want to make local law enforcement leaders avoid anything to do with NFA letters and guns. They just targeted widely respected Larry Vickers for the same procedural crap.

This is a coordinated F-Troop effort aimed at collectors and hobbiests. Tire never go after cartels or gangs in Chicago. That’s dangerous.

[roving]

Machine guns may have been restricted, but it’s still unconstitutional.

[suthener]

“What this really about is ATF targeting local sheriffs who sign NFA letters. They want to make local law enforcement leaders avoid anything to do with NFA letters and guns. They just targeted widely respected Larry Vickers for the same procedural crap.”

That’s a good analysis of what’s happening here. The “criminals” in this case are not. They may be bending the rules, but they are gun collectors, not gang members.

[linMcHlp]

IMHO, important to read the ABQ Journal article.

[ViLaLuz]

Democrats?

[CedarDave]

Democrats?

Yes

[ViLaLuz]

No wonder their party wasn’t mentioned in the article.