Posted on 05/26/2010 6:08:29 PM PDT by NavyCanDo
SEATTLE -- There are more questions than answers in the case of a suspected international arms dealer caught in Washington state with a stockpile of sniper rifles.
Oliver King is an Iranian citizen who, in the past, has been a licensed gun dealer. King appeared in court in Seattle on Wednesday, accused of keeping a stash of guns and ammunition hidden in a storage unit near the U.S.-Canada border.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, King lied to enter the U.S. near Blaine last week. Agents with U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement became suspicious of King when he showed up at the border with a brand new passport, and a story about picking up his wife at Bellis Fair Shopping Mall in Bellingham.
Upon searching his car, agents found King's original passport, which has three visas for Iran and lists King's name as Hamid Malekpour.
At King's storage locker in Ferndale, agents found $30,000 worth of police-grade sniper rifles, handguns and ammunition.
(Excerpt) Read more at komonews.com ...
I’m as much a defender of the 2nd amendment as any conservative, but when you have an Iranian cross the border under false pretenses, giving ICE a false statement of why he is entering the country and later after the $30,000 weapons cache is discovered he tells Police he is a hunter, that’s time for me to lower that 2nd amendment shield and ask what the Hell is going on?
He certainly is not bringing those weapons back into Canada , and there would be an Hunting license and game permit on record in Washington if he really was a Hunter. Too many lies to believe he is an honest gun collector and trader.
Actually, I'm not averse to hunting with a .50 cal. In my case it would be my Performance Center S&W 500 Mag revolver. That big old X-frame with a 440 hard cast is more than sufficient for most big game. The BFR revolver in 45-70 is suitable for moose as well. Big bore revolvers are one of my vices.
Why drive 4+ hours down to OR to pick up weapons (with no apparent bill of sale) from a non-existent “Police Supply” store? Wonder if that store has paid business taxes in OR?
Something tipped the Feds off that he was not entirely truthful, but having no probable cause they let him enter the country. And received permission to follow this perp into OR, so the investigators convinced a hire up to let them travel.
IMO, there was probable cause for the arrest, and for holding him based on false statements.
In spite of Holder, there is a reason that we can treat non-citizens differently than citizens.
Wow!
For Rino’s?
I need one of those. How much? Would it make an ouwee on a mountain lion. LOL
I am shocked that there are so many here on FR defending this guy? The 2nd amendment is important to us all, but my God take the blinders off see the suspicious clues this Iranian is leaving. I’m not saying he is a terrorist, but laws have already been broken and its vital that the Feds know the whole story on this guy and the guy he bought the guns from in Oregon.
Long ways past Bellingham.
Nothing illegal in visiting OR from Canada, but lying when entering past Border Patrol is enough to get one held up.
As Red Ryder would say, "No $___, Little Beaver!"
This guy stinks, and so does his "partner" at the (unlicensed) gun shop.
LOL. Nice....
Not much to go by, but a By Appointment Only indicates a very low volume retail gun store.
And having a real estate agent down the hall receive packages that may contain ammo or weapons? Is that a violation of FFL rules?
I have a feeling the news story does not tell all. There was enough red flags for the Feds to follow this guy all the way to Oregon. That goes waaaaay beyond being “held up” at the border.
The gun store web site is under construction.
Where did he get the new passport with a fake name?
He is not a US citizen and these people want to kill us. How many red flags do you need?
Maybe he’s looking for bigfoot. /s
Many of them are determined to do whatever they can to kill Americans. This guy SHOULD be scrutinized.
40 years ago, at the singles bars, a new name every week!
:)
Martha Stewart was grossly wronged. That doesn’t mean that the concept of innocent until proven guilty is dead or should be abandoned. Part of her problem was that she talked to the investigators instead of choosing to remain silent.
And here the defendant talked to a Federal Agent, they determined that he was lying and followed him.
He is in the country illegally, under an assumed name and possible false identity. Not Cool, At All.
The concept of innocent until proven guilty requires evidence and a chain of responsibility for said evidence.
If there is no evidence or they fail to secure the evidence, how then would our justice system maintain its reasonable integrity?
If the evidence were to mysteriously disappear because it was never in the custody of the Agents and a chain of custody was not maintained, then there could be no case and they would have to let the man roam free.
The Martha Stewart example was a joke and I had hoped you would see it. I personally don’t think lying to a Federal Officer should have the punitive effect of lying under oath.
But, there it is. The government had no case regarding her stock transaction and only pursued and prevailed on lying to Federal Agent.
Total Joke.
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