(PA) FBI arrests area man on illegal-weapons charges

[Steve in PA]

FBI arrests area man on illegal-weapons charges

TUNKHANNOCK - TUNKHANNOCK – The Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested a Cabin Road man they say imported from Russia approximately 100 non-functioning machine guns, which he later converted into fully operable firearms.

John C. Tanis, III, 56, is being held without bail at the Lackawanna County Prison.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, Tanis, a convicted felon currently on parole, approached a confidential witness last month and asked that he/she convert two non-working Thompson machine guns into working ones. Tanis also provided the witness with a .22-caliber rifle barrel and a .22-caliber handgun barrel and asked the witness to thread the barrels to accommodate silencers. Tanis also told the witness he had a contract outside the United States for 50 of the guns.

The witness completed the work as requested, but kept one of the guns to make additional modifications as requested by Tanis. The witness turned over the weapon to the FBI.

On Feb. 18, the witness positively identified Tanis after an FBI agent showed the witness a copy of Tanis’ drivers license. A check into Tanis’ criminal record showed he had been convicted of unlawful possession of a weapon and various other charges in New Jersey, crimes for which he served more than a year in prison.

On Feb. 24, a second witness was interviewed by the FBI. The witness reported seeing Tanis in possession of a large number of firearms at his home on Cabin Road.

On March 4, the first witness met with Tanis and received four machine guns. The meeting was recorded on a video surveillance system installed at the meeting place prior to Tanis’ arrival.

On March 8, law enforcement officers served Tanis with a warrant allowing officers to search his home. More than a dozen hunting rifles, live ammunition and parts for Thompson machine guns were seized during the initial search. Subsequent searches of additional locations resulted in the seizure of more than 100 firearms, including a fully assembled machine gun, machine gun parts, silencers and about 25,000 rounds of ammunition, according to press release issued by the U.S. Department of Justice on Monday.

 

[hammer4nc]

I see no crime here. Even the prior "felonies" were non-crimes. FBI sqauandering resources on paperwork violations...isn't that why they "didn't have the time" to follow up on the true terrorists? :banghead:

Plus the whole case hinges on the testimony of a "confidential informant". Who'll bet that this person isn't also exchanging testimony for lenient treatment on his own crimes?

C'est toujours le meme chose....

 

[jefnvk]

Can't do the time, don't do the crime. I may not agree with the laws, but they are laws.

And what is wrong with threading a barrel? I thought the silencer was the restricted item, not the threaded barrel.

 

[JohnBT]

"I see no crime here."

 

[2nd Amendment]

Looks like peaceful civil disobedience to me.

 

[rick_reno]

On March 8, law enforcement officers served Tanis with a warrant allowing officers to search his home. More than a dozen hunting rifles, live ammunition and parts for Thompson machine guns were seized during the initial search. Subsequent searches of additional locations resulted in the seizure of more than 100 firearms, including a fully assembled machine gun, machine gun parts

How did a convicted felon get so many guns? Aren't there laws in place to prevent this from happening?

 

[Henry Bowman]

Aren't there laws in place to prevent this from happening?

As you know, laws don't and can't prevent something from happening. At best, laws prevent something from happening legally. Actually, the laws just allow someone to be charged with something, after the fact, when it does happen.

 

[jerryd]

If those Thompsons were originaly machine guns, always a machine gun! Also the law says convicted felons cannot possess firearms! Also does he have a permit to import the weapons, too many unanswered questions here!

 

[Standing Wolf]

I guess the F., the B., and the I. have finished rounding up and deporting all the millions upon millions of illegal aliens that used to infest our nation like a cancer, and now has time to chase down individuals who like fully automatic firearms.

 

[jerryd]

It really TEEs me off trying to pass all the new gun laws and they cant even enforce the ones that we have already!!! Plea bargains and all that other crap and the scumbag is back on the street in WEEKS!

 

[rock jock]

What a POS. Hang 'em high.

 

[Parallax]

Crime? I don't see any crime here...

 

[Too Many Choices!?]

Only crime I see is.....

ATTEMPTING to MAKE for SALE illegal weapons......No Crime here ,yeah right! There is absolutely zero chance, IMHO, these weapons were for outside this country use, personal use, or any legal use at all !!!!! He was trying to deal in contraband items, period. If he was like stewart I could atleast maybe feel a little sorry for him, but chances are these guns would have been sold without any checks or fore-thought as to what they would be used for or by whom they would be used

 

[Henry Bowman]

but chances are these guns would have been sold without any checks or fore-thought as to what they would be used for or by whom they would be used

...as expected and protected by the second Amendment. Freedom is not without risks or costs.

 

[rock jock]

as expected and protected by the second Amendment

I see no protection for criminals/felons to enjoy the RKBA in the 2nd.

The subject of this story is a piece of human filth who will rot in prison for the rest of his life. Good riddance.

 

[Too Many Choices!?]

Henry Bowman.....So if he sold MGs, suppressors, and ammo to undrage kids,

then that is okay with you, riiiiiiight

And here I thought the Constitution only protected those that are considered adults in good standing(non felon citizens) with the community , learned something new again today......

 

[GW]

Real question here not rhetorical or sarcastic.

Where in the Constitution does it specify who "The People" are?
And where does it specify how one loses his/her rights to be one of the "People"? such as a felon or lunaatic losing his rights to own a gun

Thanks
BC

 

[cordex]

Henry Bowman.....So if he sold MGs, suppressors, and ammo to undrage kids, then that is okay with you, riiiiiiight

Well ... that's the way things were until 1934 ...
There are a bunch of people on this forum who remember buying their first gun without parental supervision as a young person (under 18). More that remember buying ammo before they were 18. Legally even. Are you screaming yet?

But even if that's such a huge deal that we should be passing building materials, shouldn't that be the crime, and not simple possession? I mean, you probably have alcohol in your house, and the law says underage kids shouldn't drink alcohol. Should you then be arrested and your alcohol confiscated because you might sell it to underage kids?

Or is that prior restraint and generally not considered a good thing?

And here I thought the Constitution only protected those that are considered adults in good standing(non felon citizens) with the community , learned something new again today......

Oh wow ... so the government can tell a kid where to go to church, what they can say, can randomly search and seize or arrest any child, can cruelly or unusually punish a child, and can require children to testify against themselves?

I didn't realize that.

 

[mr.trooper]

I see no protection for criminals/felons to enjoy the RKBA in the 2nd.

No, the problem is that a POOP load of unconstitutional laws are making it a fellony to do things that are perfectly legal and ENCOURAGED under the original document, thus making fellons out of people who, in reality, have not done anything wrong.

BTW: just because something is a CRIME doesnt make it WRONG. Congress could pass a law that makes it a fellony to clip your toenails...does that make it wrong to do so? NO! a law could be made that makes it a felony to stop anyone from stealing your things and torcing your house...Does that make it WRONG to put a slug in the perps head? NO!

If your municipality makes a law that says noone can own any firearms PERIOD, would it be wrong to own one? the 2nd says NO!

Tomas jefferson said that civilians sould be better armed than militarty or cops, does that make it WRONG to own one withought 5,000 miles of red tape? NO!

All of these things are illegal, but not actualy wrong.

Now, that i have offended eveoryone, et me say this: I do NOT advocate violating any laws because, once again, just because something isnt WRONG, doesnt man you should do it. it is RIGHT to obey the law, even if it is unconstitutional. If you dont like it then change it, live with it, or move out.

It is all verry twisted and ironic.

 

[Derby FALs]

He also said:

 

[Greymoor]

And when there is a law against all private ownership of firearms then what will you do? A law is law after all . . .

 

[Henry Bowman]

Thanks, cordex. Ditto.

 

[S Roper]

"I guess the F., the B., and the I. have finished rounding up and deporting all the millions upon millions of illegal aliens that used to infest our nation like a cancer, and now has time to chase down individuals who like fully automatic firearms."

I find this remark incredibly ironic. Importing firearms illegally is ok, but importing people illegally is not?

 

[Brett Bellmore]

There isn't any constitutional amendment guaranteeing the right of non-citizens to enter the country, Roper. There IS a constitutional amendment guaranteeing the right to keep and bear arms.

 

[JohnBT]

"And when there is a law against all private ownership of firearms then what will you do?"

Vote 'em out. Then change the law. It's the American way.

JT