Grand jury indicts [London, Arkansas] physician on grenade charge. (NFA of 1934 violation)

Arkansas Democrat Gazette ^ | 09 APR 09 | BY LINDA SATTER

[DCBryan1]

Grand jury indicts London physician on grenade charge

BY LINDA SATTER ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

Dr. Randeep Mann of Pope County was formally indicted Wednesday by a federal grand jury in Little Rock on a single charge of possessing 98 unregistered grenades.

Last month, Mann, 50, was arrested by federal agents after Pope County sheriff’s deputies responded to a call from public works employees for the city of London who had stumbled upon a partially buried plastic bag in a wooded area.

Inside the bag, buried 875 feet from Mann’s home, was a military canister containing the explosives, which were designed to be fired from a grenade launcher. [Specifically M433 HEDP 40mm low velocity grenades]

A search conducted of Mann’s nearby home turned up five similar military canisters, one of which bore the same lot number as the canister found in the woods; a box containing 45 practice rounds of ammunition for a grenade launcher; a roll of plastic similar to that in which the canister was found; and, in a safe in the basement, two grenade launchers, each capable of firing the buried ordinances. [He had legal ATF Form 1's on both his M203 and M79]

One month earlier, on Feb. 4, law enforcement officers had interviewed Mann in another matter, and he had showed them a grenade launcher he owned legally.

The officers interviewed Mann because earlier that same day a bomb had detonated outside the West Memphis home of Dr. Trent Pierce, the chairman of the state Medical Board, which had indefinitely suspended Mann’s license to prescribe controlled substances and was investigating whether he had bought prescription drugs over the Internet and sold them to patients in violation of the ban.

Mann was one of several people interviewed after the bombing, which seriously injured Pierce. [Everyone in AR with a Destructive Device, or DD license was interviewed, including me].

During the March 4 search of Mann’s home, officers also found 110 semi- and fully automatic weapons with an estimated value of more than $1 million. [He has a Form 1 or Form 4 ATF paper work for every NFA item].

The majority of the guns were registered to Mann, although U.S. Attorney Jane Duke said Wednesday that an investigation is still under way into a handful whose registry couldn’t immediately be determined.

On March 10, U.S. Magistrate Judge H. David Young ordered Mann detained until his trial, saying he presented a flight risk. Young noted that the “weapons of war” were buried only half a mile from the Arkansas Nuclear One power plant, and that Mann has the financial means, motive and foreign connections to flee the country if so inclined.

The judge also agreed that Mann was under increasing pressure that could prompt him to flee, including a wrongful death lawsuit filed on behalf of a former patient, and the medical board’s ongoing investigation.

Mann’s wife testified in the hearing that he was a longtime collector of guns, that he is a naturalized U.S. citizen of more than 20 years with grown children in Fayetteville and that her husband hadn’t visited his native India for about three years.

An agent with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives testified that the search of Mann’s house also uncovered about $50,000 in cash, including $34,000 stashed in the trunk of a car parked in the garage. [Damn shame that cash is deemed illegal now due to the WOD].

Mann’s wife testified that the family kept cash on hand because “the kids might need something” when visiting on weekends from out of town, an explanation that Young said he found troubling.

If convicted of the possession charge, Mann faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

[DCBryan1]

Me thinks that this guy was legal with all his NFA items and somehow got greedy and wanted to have High Explosive (HE) grenades for his two (2) legal toys.

I play with NFA items, and I wouldn't do anything this stupid. If I was going to do something illegal like storing HE for my NFA items, I would do it SEVERAL COUNTIES, if not in a neighboring state, a days hike from any road ;)

He will probably be convicted on the one (1) charge unless he can use US. V. Miller as a defense for having ammo to go to his legal grenade launchers (common use at the time).

Good luck doc! If you can get the USSC to say your HE Ammo is legal, I'm gonna have a hell of a fun time with junk cars in the gravel pit!

[DCBryan1]

National Firearms Act of 1934 PING

40mm HE BANG!

[DCBryan1]

Previous History (FRONT PAGE NEWS) from last month

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2201002/posts

[OB1kNOb]

Key point #1: The officers interviewed Mann because earlier that same day a bomb had detonated outside the West Memphis home of Dr. Trent Pierce, the chairman of the state Medical Board, which had indefinitely suspended Mann’s license to prescribe controlled substances and was investigating whether he had bought prescription drugs over the Internet and sold them to patients in violation of the ban.

Key Point #2: Young noted that the “weapons of war” were buried only half a mile from the Arkansas Nuclear One power plant...

I'm not sure whether this guy was just an overzealous gun collector or had sinister intentions. Hopefully the facts will surface.

[fella]

What was a public works employee doing stumbling around on private property after the ATF had been to his house and been shown a launcher? Sounds fishy to me. Did the ATF contact this employee or his superiors and tell them to search for something? For some reason I think these “public servants” think of themselves more as masters than servants

[DCBryan1]

I trust ATF agents as far as I can throw them. After the Sen. Stephens (R-AK) stunt by the "Justice" Dept.....if I were on the jury, I would acquit.

BATF=Bad Attitude Towards Freedom.

[taxcontrol]

I was not aware that the possession of large amounts of cash is an offense. Can you provide a URL to a law that clarifies such?

[DCBryan1]

Thats the problem! ITS NOT ILLEGAL (that I know of), but the reporter and the feds act as if this is indicative of a criminal mind or intent(mens rea).

[kcvl]

The state medical board was investigating Doctor Randeep Mann for allegedly prescribing excessive amounts of narcotics to patients he knew, or should have known, had histories of drug abuse. The board says nine of Mann?s patients died from a lethal mix of drugs or an overdose of prescription medicines.

The board could have permanently revoked Dr. Mann?s medical license, but instead accepted an offer from him to give up his authority to write prescriptions for narcotics like Oxycontin, Hydrocodone and Methadone.

http://www.todaysthv.com/news/news.aspx?storyid=30981

This was the second time Dr. Randeep Mann appeared before the board for disciplinary action. In 2003 his DEA privileges were revoked for one year for over prescribing narcotics.

[kcvl]

Suit postponed against Arkansas doctor held on weapons charges

The wrongful death lawsuit against Arkansas doctor Dr. Randeep Mann, which was set for trial Monday, was postponed until May 2010.

Mann is being held in federal custody in Arkansas on charges of possessing unlicensed weapons.

He was questioned on Feb. 4, the day that Dr. Trent Pierce was critically injured by a bomb planted in the driveway of his West Memphis home.

Mann, along with other doctors who faced discipline by the Arkansas State Medical Board, which Pierce chairs, were questioned by federal authorities.

Mann lost his DEA license several years ago after 10 patients died of drug overdoses and others were hospitalized.

The lawsuit that was to come to trial Monday involved the death of Robin Woodall, who died in 2003. Mann had prescribed her 10 different medications.

[taxcontrol]

Well good. Cause now I wont have to dig up my stash. ;-)

[Pentagon Leatherneck]

“each capable of firing the buried ordinances”

Somebody buried the LAW?

TC

[xrayvision123]

I know for a fact that this Dr is a DRUG DEALER !! I do not care how many people think that he is kind and compassionate, I disagree. Dr Mann has no regard for human life. I have heard it from the lips of one of his patience who is an addict that Dr Mann will give anything that is asked for. This patient is related to me and the Dr knows about the severe addiction. My relative has almost overdosed many times because of it. He also knew of this patients children but continued selling drugs to __________________ anyway. Fortunately my relative survived unlike at least 10 of his other patience. I have seen tons of medications prescribed by this Dr. He needs to be locked up for good.

[beltfed308]

Thanks for the ping. This story smells like a setup.

[OneWingedShark]

Which part? The part where they find a stash of ordinance in the middle of nowhere?