mn resident gets pinched for selling firearms w/o license

[grousemaster]

You all who believe he was unjustly targeted should boycott fleet farm for turning him in.

And here I thought they were doing the right thing, preventing straw purchases and preserving their inventory for legitimate buyers at normal prices. Silly me.

I think FF was doing what they are legally required to do.

You're required to report multiple handgun sales, not rifle sales.

[xd ED]

You all who believe he was unjustly targeted should boycott fleet farm for turning him in.

And here I thought they were doing the right thing, preventing straw purchases and preserving their inventory for legitimate buyers at normal prices. Silly me.

I think FF was doing what they are legally required to do.

You're required to report multiple handgun sales, not rifle sales.

Thanks for correcting me.
Isn't there some regulatory verbiage regarding acting on/ reporting suspicious people/ activities, etc?

[Exjay]

I am pretty sure filling out the 4473 at fleet farm and saying you are the ultimate purchaser of the firearm when you intend to sell it is a straw purchase and you get to spend some time in club fed. Correct me if I am wrong. You are the FFL.

Although i work for one. Im no lawyer,
But if thats the case, they'd have to prove what he was thinking during time of purchase. wouldnt they?

Just saying he bought them in the gungrab panic and realized he couldnt make rent so he had to sell some/all, could in theory free him of wrong doing.

Not taking sides on this at all. Just pointing something out.

[MasonK]

He had 60 long guns and was turned in by fleet farm for buying so many so quickly.

If he bought and sold the rifles in rapid succession, he was a profiteer and I hope he gets prison time. If he had a collection of 60 guns he occasionally sold, I hope he gets off.

Somehow I suspect it is the former.

Think we could get them to do the same with the ammo resellers on armslist?

Not seeing where you are getting profiteering from. RTFA and this guy had his property seized in October. I doubt there was much profit margin on buying something readily available just about everywhere and reselling it pre-Newtown. Given the time frame, I'd call this 'investing in the future'.

[mrp]

http://www.startribune.com/local/203491861.html

The man "did this without obtaining a license to deal firearms, and he continued this conduct after ATF advised him of applicable regulations that required licensure," the court documents said.

[Back In Black]

Why wouldn't FF at least warn him or simply refuse to sell him the firearms? Seems to me they would be somewhat complicit. Like a bartender continuing to sell booze to a patron he knows is drunk. Assuming the story is true and they really did throw him under the bus.

[NMRMN]

Why wouldn't FF at least warn him or simply refuse to sell him the firearms? Seems to me they would be somewhat complicit. Like a bartender continuing to sell booze to a patron he knows is drunk. Assuming the story is true and they really did throw him under the bus.

I am thinking they just want to sell guns and figured the ATF can look into if they wanted to. How is FF supposed to know what the guy was doing with them?

[MasonK]

To follow up from my last post, I'm not arguing the man's case per se, I'm arguing OUR RIGHTS.

FTA:

Prosecutors say the man bought at least 81 assault rifles over three months, and re-sold 25 of them online.

If the ATF can say you are running a business selling guns without an FFL at 25 guns, what is the lower limit threshold? What if you died tomorrow and your widow decided to sell your collection of guns to pay off debts after the loss of income? Talk about adding insult to injury- she goes to prison because the ATF said she's running a business selling guns!

[NMRMN]

How the hell was he left with 60 rifles anyway. He was totally stocked and managed to only sell 20 guns during the biggest gun panic in recent history? Lame.

[Back In Black]

Why wouldn't FF at least warn him or simply refuse to sell him the firearms? Seems to me they would be somewhat complicit. Like a bartender continuing to sell booze to a patron he knows is drunk. Assuming the story is true and they really did throw him under the bus.

I am thinking they just want to sell guns and figured the ATF can look into if they wanted to. How is FF supposed to know what the guy was doing with them?

Hard to know I guess without knowing the facts. Did FF turn him in, which is the way the story reads, or did some red flags get raised somewhere else?

[Holland&Holland]

How the hell was he left with 60 rifles anyway. He was totally stocked and managed to only sell 20 guns during the biggest gun panic in recent history? Lame.

Seems like that might be and effective defense strategy right there.

[grousemaster]

I think if they had a decent case they would have charged him by now. Just my two cents....

[NMRMN]

MINNEAPOLIS - A Minnesota man who did not have a license to buy and sell firearms is accused of purchasing dozens of assault rifles at local stores, then illegally reselling them online at a profit — to apparently help pay for his mother's mortgage and veterinary bills for a dog, according to court documents filed Wednesday.

The man has not been charged. But federal prosecutors said they are seeking the forfeiture of 60 assault rifles that were seized from his residences in October. Prosecutors said the man bought at least 81 assault rifles over three months, and re-sold 25 of them through a firearms auction website.

Ahh. They were seized last October. Right before the panic. Ouch.

Maybe the BATF let him off easy, since he sounds like such a nice idiot (I mean if he was really trying to help with his Ma's mortgage and dog's vet bills)

[photogpat]

Lets see, buy and resell 25 rifles for profit in a VERY short period of time, IMHO that doesn't pass the "not engaged in the business" smell test.

He hasn't been charged since they're probably waiting on a grand jury indictment.

[bstrawse]

This part bothers me.

The man has not been charged. But in documents filed Wednesday, federal prosecutors are seeking the forfeiture of 60 assault rifles that were seized from his residences in October.

So he's guilty enough to take his guns but not guilty enough to charge with a crime?

Takes time to get a grand jury indictment federally. I would expect one.