Vietnam Vet's M14 sends him to the pokey

[Liam]

https://www.foxnews.com/us/vietnam-war-hero-sentenced-to-7-years-for-decades-old-rifle-purchase-report

[RED]

What I'm hearing thru the grapevine is the guy came to the attention of the ATF back in 2016 when he wore a MAGA hat and supported DJT. Then the IRS stepped in and found out he had hired H&R Block to help him evade taxes by deducting home mortgage interest on his tax returns. In addition, he was in trouble with the HOA for flying the disgusting American flag. Any of that sort of criminality is reason enough to send him or anybody else to prison for the rest of their life.

[leftyo]

scratched out serial number=screwed. doesnt matter about anything else in life, anybody with one functioning brain cell knows thats a no-go!

[Sunray]

Sounds like he knew it's a Class 3 firearm. All the rest of it is smoke and mirrors. Can't imagine how scratching the S/N off is going to matter one way or the other though. That's a crime all by itself. Unless the thing was stolen.
H&R Block isn't going to help anybody evade taxes.
"...wore a MAGA hat and supported DJT..." The ATF wouldn't care or notice what hat you wear or who you vote for. Neither would the IRS.

[Allen]

scratched out serial number=screwed. doesnt matter about anything else in life, anybody with one functioning brain cell knows thats a no-go!

That and the M14 stamp on the heel of the receiver especially if the select fire parts are still installed.

[JB White]

He supposedly bought it decades ago. What drew attention to it so the BATF would come looking for it now...and how did they know to go to his house and find it?
Something is not being disclosed.

[Sandpebble]

I'm sorry Red .... but

What I'm hearing thru the grapevine is the guy came to the attention of the ATF back in 2016 when he wore a MAGA hat and supported DJT. Then the IRS stepped in and found out he had hired H&R Block to help him evade taxes by deducting home mortgage interest on his tax returns. In addition, he was in trouble with the HOA for flying the disgusting American flag. Any of that sort of criminality is reason enough to send him or anybody else to prison for the rest of their life.

The MAGA hat didn't get him arrested ... breaking the law did.

Did he evade taxes owed by law ? ..... seems that way

Did he possess an automatic firearm with no tax stamp ? ... looks that way

Did he possess a fire arm with an altered serial number ? .... seems that way

Was this firearm a civililan M1A that was altered without a tax stamp .... or a stolen government m14 ? ....looks that way

Looks like felony wrap to me all the way round .... even if he wore a Clinton hat he'd be done ... and rightfully so.

Silver Stars are not a free ride to break the law....

[Allen]

He supposedly bought it decades ago. What drew attention to it so the BATF would come looking for it now...and how did they know to go to his house and find it?
Something is not being disclosed.

Obviously he wasn't waiving it around. A MAGA hat would paint crosshairs on him for the democrat based FBI to invade his privacy and look under every stone till something, however minor turned up.

Now since the BATF fines for possessing an unregistered machine gun = 10 years in the state pen and a $100,000 fine where does that leave someone like Eric Holder with the illegal "fast and furious" crime?

[Former Cav]

something wrong with the story the way and place I read it at.
Of course, the slimestream media is not known for accurate truthful reporting so why would I expect this story to be any different.
If he broke the law (scratched the serial number or had an M14 with NO TAX stamp) well then, too bad so sad!
"you do the crime, you do the time"
about time they start enforcing the laws. hope holder gets his te*ts in the ringer!!

[blackhawknj]

Yes, someone ratted him out or he shot off his mouth.

[togor]

Yes, someone ratted him out or he shot off his mouth.

+1

And yeah if he's a collector, then he knows both drills regarding scratched S/Ns and MGs with no ATF stamp. The rest of us live by them rules, so can he. Wonder if he heard a little voice through the years telling him to surrender it, and if he now regrets not listening.

[pcox]

" or had an M14 with no TAX STAMP" There is no such thing as a real military M14 WITH a tax stamp. No M14's were sold by the government.

[Johnny P]

While no M14's were sold by the military, the Department of Energy did sell a few M14 rifles that had been used as guard guns at nuclear facilities. There is information on the net about the "DOE Guns". Reportedly, there were also some M14's registered in 1968 that were previously stolen.

[RED]

" or had an M14 with no TAX STAMP" There is no such thing as a real military M14 WITH a tax stamp. No M14's were sold by the government.

FYI:

There were likely a few uncut USGI M14 rifles among the tens of thousands of machine guns registered when the National Firearms Act was revised in 1968. One such amnesty example is Harrington & Richardson M14 serial number 449955. The NFA amnesty period ran from November 02, 1968 to December 01, 1968. At least two Springfield Armory T44E4 rifles made it into the NFA Registry under the amnesty and forty years later remain in the hands of private citizens.

Something's missing from the story...

"[his attorney] learned later that authorities were looking for and seized an M14 rifle that Pick had bought at a Fort Worth gun show in the early eighties."

So the ATF has been looking for a gun for 36 years? That makes no sense. I agree - someone got pissed at him and knew he had the gun and called the ATF.

I do agree that the sentence is excessive. There are murderers and rapists who get less time. I think a stiff fine and 30 days would have been about right given what we know. Again, there has to be more to the story here.

[leftyo]

he had a rifle with an altered serial number, end of discussion. doesnt matter if it was an mg42 or some single shot. if the rifle was capable of automatic fire, thats just additional charges.