Delaware: "Camden gun dealer sentenced"

[cuchulainn]

from the News Journal

http://www.delawareonline.com/newsjournal/local/2003/04/08camdengundealer.html

Camden gun dealer sentenced

Man gets 366 days for selling guns to felons in 'straw purchaser' sting
By MARY ALLEN
Staff reporter
04/08/2003

A former Camden gun dealer who allowed two straw purchases that put firearms into the hands of convicted felons was ordered Monday to serve a year and a day in federal prison.

Judge Sue L. Robinson sentenced Jason Rash, 26, of Wyoming during a hearing at U.S. District Court in Wilmington. Adding a day to the yearlong sentence allowed Rash to take advantage of good-time credits. He has been incarcerated since January.

Rash pleaded guilty Jan. 7 to selling a firearm to a convicted felon and knowingly aiding and abetting a felon to gain possession of a firearm. He owned J.J.'s Gun Barn in Camden when he allowed the sale of firearms and ammunition to an undercover straw purchaser. The purchaser made clear that he intended to buy the weapons for a convicted felon who accompanied him. After sales on June 6 and June 20, two convicted felons had walked out of his store carrying weapons.

Rash did not know that the felons and the person making the straw purchases were part of an investigation dubbed "Operation Disarm," a Delaware federal prosecution effort against gun violence.

Defense attorney Eugene J. Maurer Jr. said Monday in court that the sales were prompted by the financial needs of a small businessman, not malevolence. Rash made less than $1,000 off the purchases. "He unfortunately cut some corners with these two transactions," Maurer said.

Robinson agreed with Maurer's recommendation to sentence Rash on the low end of federal guidelines, which called for a term between 12 and 18 months.

"It is always tragic when good people make bad decisions and that is what happened here," Robinson said.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Leonard P. Stark did not make a sentencing recommendation.

Reach Mary Allen at 324-2794 or [email protected].
Copyright ©2003, The News Journal.

 

[TheOtherOne]

I'm sure he's learned his lesson. No matter what your financial situation, don't sale guns to felons!

But, I always hate when cops go out and create crime just to bust people.

 

[Nathaniel Firethorn]

Yup, there IS a Camden, Delaware. I was kind of scratching my head about why anyone would go from Free Delaware to PRNJ to buy guns...

What's not clear from the article is exactly how this case is different from Sarah Brady's straw purchase of a rifle for her son. Which was also in Delaware, and for which she got not even a misdemeanor charge.

- pdmoderator

 

[Henry Bowman]

pd - The difference may be that Sarah bought the gun for herself with the intent to then give it as a gift to her son. Not exactly the same as buying for someone that you've already sold it to.

don't flame me. I like to see her behind bars, too. Just being the 's (literally) advocate.

 

[FPrice]

I am a bit confused about what was really going on here. Did they suspect him of previously making strawman sales? Or did they just decide to go from gun dealer to gun dealer and see who would bite at their sting? If the former, then I don't think too many people would complain. But if the latter then I think there is more than just a hint of entrapment here. Granted, that does not excuse his actions but was it as clear-cut as they say?

Going after a known criminal is one thing, but trying to make a criminal out of an otherwise honest businessman does not seem like the best use of LE dollars and time.

 

[answerguy]

I'm not sure I care if he was set up or not. People who sell guns to felons make us all look bad. If the sale was set up so that the seller knew, or should have known, that the end purchaser was a felon then I say 'fry him'.

 

[JohnBT]

Read the article again. It's right there - and so was the convicted felon. (Point of order - What's an unconvicted felon?)

"The purchaser made clear that he intended to buy the weapons for a convicted felon who accompanied him."

JT

 

[FPrice]

""The purchaser made clear that he intended to buy the weapons for a convicted felon who accompanied him.""

And you were there and can vouch that this is how it happened?

Pardon me for being just a little skeptical. Unfortunately people have lied in the past about how things went down.

""It is always tragic when good people make bad decisions and that is what happened here," Robinson said."

If he was "good people" why did they feel the need to try this on him in the first place?

" Rash did not know that the felons and the person making the straw purchases were part of an investigation dubbed "Operation Disarm," a Delaware federal prosecution effort against gun violence."

Is this team going around to every Delaware gun dealer checking them in the same manner? Or did they target him for some particular reason?

If you will go back to my first post I did make it clear that I did NOT condone his behavior ("...that does not excuse his actions..."). My question goes to the origination of the sting operation and how they picked him.

My skepticism remains.

 

[JohnBT]

Okay, let's assume he didn't do it.

Then he pleaded guilty for the heck of it?

I wasn't there, so I conclude, based on the available information, that he wasn't good people.

John

 

[answerguy]

It sounds a lot like the little stings they do around here with selling booze to minors. The police accompany an underage person as they try to purchase at various party stores, then bust the ones that sell to him. It keeps the stores on their toes.
Sounds like gun dealers better stay on their toes too.

 

[Standing Wolf]

I've got zero sympathy for people who arm the enemy.