Connecticut Yankee
Member
http://www.ohioccw.org/article3593.html
Ohioans For Concealed Carry first heard of this news when numerous people saw a story on Channel 19 news indicating an instructor was using spring loaded guns other than firearms to provide training.
The following is an OFCC Exclusive update on this unfortunate course of events. Some sixty-five people in Northeast Ohio are potentially carrying firearms on licenses that have been revoked -- and they may not even know it.
Ohioans For Concealed Carry has learned that more than 106 individuals attempted to obtain a Concealed Handgun License from the Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Office with a certificate that the Sheriff's Office has declared unacceptable proof of training. Licenses have been issued to the majority of those applicants.
According to the Sheriff's Office a Cleveland area training operation named "Akoben" on Lakeshore Blvd was issuing certificates to students who completed the "two hour live fire" requirement of Ohio's Concealed Carry law with spring loaded pellet guns, as opposed to firearms.
Further, the Sheriff's Office reportedly has statements from at least one student claiming that the instructor, Anthony Perry, alledgedly taught less than ten hours worth of classroom material. According to the Sheriff's Office Perry is a qualified instructor.
Due to the potential for felony charges against so many unsuspecting people, please help us forward this story on to everyone in Northeast Ohio that you know
The 106 individuals who were issued these education certificates applied with the Cuyahoga County Sheriff's office. It is unknown how many applicants applied in neighboring counties such as Lake, Geagua, or Lorain. Cuyahoga County issued licenses to only 90 of then 106 people who turned in certificates from Akoben, and apparently rejected the remaining 16 licenses for unrelated reasons.
One of those applicants denied caught the interest of Lt. Eakins with the Sheriff's Office during the background investigation. Due to a criminal history of the unknown individual a statement was sought from Perry. Eakins was trying to determine if the criminal applicant could be tied to owning or having a live firearm during the training class. This course of events led to the unintentional discovery that Akoben was not using real firearms in it's training class.
Lt. Eakins stressed that concealed handgun license applicants are solely responsible for determining that their instructor is both qualified to provide the training, and providing a legitimate class.
Eakins also stated that Perry has not been charged with a crime, but the case has been forwarded to the prosecutor.
When the Sheriff's Office decided to revoke the ninety licenses that were issued they sent certified letters to all ninety license holders advising them of the situation and the fact that they must surrender their licenses immediately.
Twenty-five individuals did so, and upon providing new proof of meeting the education requirement an unknown percentage of the twenty-five were handed back the very same license they originally obtained from the Sheriff's Office.
There are sixty-five individuals who never responded to those ceritified letters. According to Eakins a second certified letter will arrive at the addresses of those sixty-five individuals today (Friday), advising them that they are in possesion of revoked licenses, that they can be arrested and charged with carrying a concealed firearm, and that they must surrender their licenses.
Anyone caught carrying a concealed firearm with a revoked license can be charged with a Third Degree Felony.
Any license holder who fails to surrender their license before the 17th is subject to criminal charges for failing to comply with the Sheriff Department's order to surrender these licenses.
Ohioans For Concealed Carry strongly encourages our members and supporters to pass this story to every friend they have in the Northeast Ohio area. It is unknown how many license holders in surrounding counties have yet to learn that their licenses will eventually be revoked. By forwarding this story to everyone you know in the area, regardless of when they obtained their licenses, we'll have a better chance of reaching any potentially impacted students.
If neighboring counties are as cooperative as the Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Office has been, those people probably should immediately seek third party training and attempt to rectify the situation before the Sheriff's Office contacts them.
Ohioans For Concealed Carry would advise anyone who feels their license may have been obtained with an illegal training certificate should stop carrying concealed and speak with an attorney.
Finally, it should be noted that Ohioans For Concealed Carry has made no attempt to contact Mr. Perry for comment. The fact of the matter is that the Sheriff Office has decided to revoke these licenses and criminal charges could be sought against unsuspecting license holders. OFCC feels it is imperative that this story be made public as quickly as possible. If Mr. Perry contacts OFCC and shares his side of the story, we'll glady consider publishing his response or rebuttle.
Should there be any developments we will follow this issue on our website, and through CCW-ALERT.
Ohioans For Concealed Carry first heard of this news when numerous people saw a story on Channel 19 news indicating an instructor was using spring loaded guns other than firearms to provide training.
The following is an OFCC Exclusive update on this unfortunate course of events. Some sixty-five people in Northeast Ohio are potentially carrying firearms on licenses that have been revoked -- and they may not even know it.
Ohioans For Concealed Carry has learned that more than 106 individuals attempted to obtain a Concealed Handgun License from the Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Office with a certificate that the Sheriff's Office has declared unacceptable proof of training. Licenses have been issued to the majority of those applicants.
According to the Sheriff's Office a Cleveland area training operation named "Akoben" on Lakeshore Blvd was issuing certificates to students who completed the "two hour live fire" requirement of Ohio's Concealed Carry law with spring loaded pellet guns, as opposed to firearms.
Further, the Sheriff's Office reportedly has statements from at least one student claiming that the instructor, Anthony Perry, alledgedly taught less than ten hours worth of classroom material. According to the Sheriff's Office Perry is a qualified instructor.
Due to the potential for felony charges against so many unsuspecting people, please help us forward this story on to everyone in Northeast Ohio that you know
The 106 individuals who were issued these education certificates applied with the Cuyahoga County Sheriff's office. It is unknown how many applicants applied in neighboring counties such as Lake, Geagua, or Lorain. Cuyahoga County issued licenses to only 90 of then 106 people who turned in certificates from Akoben, and apparently rejected the remaining 16 licenses for unrelated reasons.
One of those applicants denied caught the interest of Lt. Eakins with the Sheriff's Office during the background investigation. Due to a criminal history of the unknown individual a statement was sought from Perry. Eakins was trying to determine if the criminal applicant could be tied to owning or having a live firearm during the training class. This course of events led to the unintentional discovery that Akoben was not using real firearms in it's training class.
Lt. Eakins stressed that concealed handgun license applicants are solely responsible for determining that their instructor is both qualified to provide the training, and providing a legitimate class.
Eakins also stated that Perry has not been charged with a crime, but the case has been forwarded to the prosecutor.
When the Sheriff's Office decided to revoke the ninety licenses that were issued they sent certified letters to all ninety license holders advising them of the situation and the fact that they must surrender their licenses immediately.
Twenty-five individuals did so, and upon providing new proof of meeting the education requirement an unknown percentage of the twenty-five were handed back the very same license they originally obtained from the Sheriff's Office.
There are sixty-five individuals who never responded to those ceritified letters. According to Eakins a second certified letter will arrive at the addresses of those sixty-five individuals today (Friday), advising them that they are in possesion of revoked licenses, that they can be arrested and charged with carrying a concealed firearm, and that they must surrender their licenses.
Anyone caught carrying a concealed firearm with a revoked license can be charged with a Third Degree Felony.
Any license holder who fails to surrender their license before the 17th is subject to criminal charges for failing to comply with the Sheriff Department's order to surrender these licenses.
Ohioans For Concealed Carry strongly encourages our members and supporters to pass this story to every friend they have in the Northeast Ohio area. It is unknown how many license holders in surrounding counties have yet to learn that their licenses will eventually be revoked. By forwarding this story to everyone you know in the area, regardless of when they obtained their licenses, we'll have a better chance of reaching any potentially impacted students.
If neighboring counties are as cooperative as the Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Office has been, those people probably should immediately seek third party training and attempt to rectify the situation before the Sheriff's Office contacts them.
Ohioans For Concealed Carry would advise anyone who feels their license may have been obtained with an illegal training certificate should stop carrying concealed and speak with an attorney.
Finally, it should be noted that Ohioans For Concealed Carry has made no attempt to contact Mr. Perry for comment. The fact of the matter is that the Sheriff Office has decided to revoke these licenses and criminal charges could be sought against unsuspecting license holders. OFCC feels it is imperative that this story be made public as quickly as possible. If Mr. Perry contacts OFCC and shares his side of the story, we'll glady consider publishing his response or rebuttle.
Should there be any developments we will follow this issue on our website, and through CCW-ALERT.
