Besides the unsubstantiated statements from questionable witnesses and hyperbole from the usual suspects, that is...
Posted on 03/26/2013 6:28:34 AM PDT by Iron Munro
TAMPA — A man who lives on a tree farm in Pasco County recently answered his door wearing body armor, with a .45-caliber handgun strapped to his chest. He alarmed an acquaintance, the FBI alleges, by talking about killing law enforcement officers.
Paul James Szaraz, 47, isn't supposed to have guns. He's a felon with convictions for burglary, carrying a concealed weapon, marijuana possession and drunken driving, records show.
But U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas G. Wilson said in court Monday that investigators found an "enormous" quantity of weapons, ammunition and body armor while searching Szaraz's home north of Moon Lake in Hudson.
FBI spokesman David Couvertier said a SWAT team and Pasco County deputies searched the 12-acre site for hours after arresting Szaraz early Friday. The spokesman did not specify what was found, citing the prosecution by the U.S. Attorney's Office, but said agents were surprised by both the quantity and the types of weapons.
A court record offered a few hints. In an affidavit used to obtain the search warrant, FBI Special Agent Christopher S. Franck said that the acquaintance, who had known Szaraz for a year, had seen six AK-47 rifles and one .50-caliber BMG rifle in his residence.
Weapons were placed strategically by doors and windows "in order to defend his residence," the agent wrote in the affidavit.
The acquaintance reported that Szaraz spoke at length of being a patriot and mistrusting the federal government and law enforcement.
The tipster "became concerned about Szaraz when he started speaking militantly about recruiting/banding others together in order to kill law enforcement when they come to take their weapons away and put them all in FEMA camps," the affidavit states.
Agent Franck said Szaraz espouses beliefs characteristic of sovereign citizen extremists, a movement the FBI categorizes as domestic terrorism. Oklahoma City bombing accomplice Terry Nichols considered himself a sovereign citizen. Subscribers reject the authority of the government and its laws.
There is cause, Franck wrote, to believe Szaraz has "conspired with other associates to commit violent acts against law enforcement personnel."
The acquaintance initially spoke with Pasco sheriff's Detective Anthony Capo, who provided a recording device and cash for the purchase of a $1,200 AK-47 from Szaraz. The FBI stepped in.
Wilson presided over what was to be a bail hearing on a weapons charge Monday until it was discovered that Szaraz had not yet hired an attorney. Nor had he completed paperwork to qualify for a public defender. He asked Wilson to delay the hearing.
"It's sort of your call because you're the one that's sitting in jail," the judge responded.
Szaraz sat alone at the defense table, his long hair touching the middle of his back. He was calm, polite and articulate as he addressed the judge.
But when he began talking openly about the facts of his case, the judge interrupted, cautioning that anything the defendant said could be used against him.
Szaraz paused, then launched into a verbal attack on the credibility of the acquaintance-turned-FBI witness.
Court documents don't name the acquaintance but call him a former Marine. He has at least a loose tie to the neighborhood: He told investigators that he heard automatic gunfire coming from Szaraz's property at 14232 King Richards Trail "several times."
Szaraz said the man has made false statements about him.
"He's a junkie," Szaraz said. "That's your witness.
"I can't believe I'm sitting here," he said.
The judge reminded Szaraz that he was a felon and that an "enormous" number of weapons had been found at his home.
Szaraz said he wasn't using them.
"You can't have them," the judge shot back. "It's as simple as that."
The hearing was rescheduled for April 2.
Yet this is just the kind of incident liberals will use to justify their argument for universal background checks - ignoring the fact that people with criminal intent scoff at laws they don't like (just like politicians do).
I did note that the author made it all the way through this article without using the word "Arsenal".
Well, he could always run in the local election as a Democrat, he's got the creds.
This cannot be true. Felons aren’t supposed to have guns. It’s the law.....................
Yes, that was what they said in Australia. Then the crimine wave ensued.
Yes, that was what they said in Australia. Then the crime wave ensued.
And the meme goes merrily on...
Charging someone with a felony for carrying a gun without a gun, therefore, denying him the right to possess guns forever in the future, is like denying someone the right to ever own a book, because he had a book without a permit, or from ever practicing a religion, because he once prayed without a permit.
But he can’t have guns- there is a law against it!!
Wait... explain to me how criminals obey laws again?
Proving that laws against felons owning weapons are just as ridiculous as anything the democrats can dream up.
Did they take his Democrat voter registration too?
1. Nobody needs to know about your cache. Period. If, God forbid, you ever need it, it should surprise even your spouse.
2. Nobody needs to know all your plans. Family members only need to know those parts that depend on them. Friends and strangers should not even know that you have a plan unless...see the next point.
3. Nobody gets "cut in" until you have evidence that you can trust them with your life and your future. This includes everyone, even family. Some "like-minded" dude you met in a bar a year ago does not cut it.
4. Leave play-acting for the kids. Answering the door geared up like a ninja is just plain dumb for anybody. Keep it handy, but keep in SECRET.
In summary, give no one a reason to think that a SWAT team would be anything but bored to death by a visit to your house.
I want to echo Jboot’s comments. There are lessons learned here.
1st Rule of Prep Club: You do not talk about Prep Club.
2nd Rule of Prep Club: You DO NOT talk about Prep Club.
No one would even begin to argue that a felon no longer has his constitutional right to freedom of speech, so how does a felon lose his 2nd amendment rights? The answer could not be clearer. He doesn't
This needs to be challenged all the way to the high court. Even liberal judges could not defend this farce of a concept. Felons do NOT LOSE THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS. Once they have served their debt to society its OVER. They are free just as they were before.
It's just a matter of time for conservatism to be outlawed.
I disagree with cops and judge on this one. 2nd amendment protects one’s inalienable right in the home. I think the supremes agreed on this nuance of the law already.
Thanks, but here deep inside the eight-lane Death Strip and the Great Firewall of Obama I cannot access Youtube. What is the video?
How paranoid. This could never happen here < /sarcasm>
To quote Gadalf, "keep it secret, keep it safe."
Besides the unsubstantiated statements from questionable witnesses and hyperbole from the usual suspects, that is...
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