He illegally possessed an AK machine gun
In Alexandria, a white supremacist decides to have his AK converted to shoot full auto. So, he finds someone to do it for $120 who turns out to be a cop. When he goes to pick the gun up, he is arrested for possession of the gun. I wonder if it actually was a full auto and if the police officer who converted it properly registered the NFA item with the ATF?
June 4th, 2012 at 9:58 am
I’m betting no to both.
June 4th, 2012 at 10:07 am
Another story of manufactured criminals.
It would have been a useful snag if they had nabbed Mr. Peckerwood AND a shady gunsmith willing to sherk stupid federal law.
It would be even better just to repeal NFA because it really does nothing at all but put a burr in the saddle of good people looking to have fun and convenient guns.
June 4th, 2012 at 10:11 am
How does this stack with prostitution stings?
Don’t they charge someone who is trying to hire a professional lovemaker who turns out to be a on-duty cop with “solicitation”?
How could they charge this dunce with “possession” unless they really converted the gun, and REALLY gave it back to him?
June 4th, 2012 at 10:37 am
Would cost more than $120 just for the full auto bolt carrier and the fire control parts kit. Jack.
June 4th, 2012 at 10:48 am
I’m guessing he won’t be convicted, except maybe on an inchoate (attempted) crme.
To convict a gun crime, the prosecutor has to prove that the defendant had actual knowledge, not hearsay, that the gun would fire. The only way to prove this particular violation would be if the entrapping cop had actually demonstrated full auto fire to the defendant, ot if the defendant had been witnessed firing the weapon full auto.
With the above direct evidence, all the defendant can be convicted of is “attempting to possess” or maybe “conspiracy to possess”.
June 4th, 2012 at 10:53 am
I thought it was simple to convert an AK to full-auto. That’s what the Brady/VPC people tell me. Why’d he have to pay someone else $120 to do a five-minute job?
June 4th, 2012 at 11:25 am
Kevin, $120 is a lot to spend for a shoe string.
I’m thinkin’ this guy will be convicted of being a white supremacist and gets a walk on the gun charges.
And the cop gets a promotion.
June 4th, 2012 at 2:00 pm
Since the feds were involved, I’m pretty sure the weapon had a Form 10 on it, and was converted by the BATFE tech branch.
Merely possessing a Form 10 weapon is a crime if you aren’t a member of the owning police organization or a Dealer with LEO letters.
June 4th, 2012 at 3:13 pm
I’m Confused Was It His And Submitted To Under Cover For Full Auto Convert.Or Was He Trying To Buy A Full Auto From Under Cover.Either Way I Don’t Think They Have As Big As A Case As They Would Want.
June 4th, 2012 at 3:47 pm
Tim, was it really necessary to go through all the trouble of hitting ‘Shift’ for every word? It adds nothing but layers of confusionfor your readers and a lot of stress on your poor pinkie finger…
June 4th, 2012 at 4:13 pm
Kristopher –
Half right, only the government can possess Form 10 guns. They’re totally illegal for anyone else. (I’m simplifying it, but only a little.)
June 4th, 2012 at 6:26 pm
$50 says the guy will plea out because he is a dumbass.
June 5th, 2012 at 5:39 am
Markie Marxist sez: “Whatever the government does is right; whatever private citizens do is wrong. It’s just common communist sense. Besides, it’s the government that gets to decide who’s right and who’s wrong. How does that work out? Ha! Ha!”
June 5th, 2012 at 2:33 pm
Diomed … sort of. Once the Form 10 is filed, the NFA Dealer will transfer it to the PD … unless they bounce the check to the dealer, at which point the dealer can rescind the transfer for non-payment.
June 5th, 2012 at 2:36 pm
Ish: some “smartphone” keyboard aids aren’t too damned smart.
It took me forever to find out how to tell an iPad to stop auto-capping the first word in a sentence … made typing in email addresses and passwords impossible until shut off.
June 5th, 2012 at 5:17 pm
$120 gets you the “metal thing that goes over the shoulder” ??
Not bad.