For those of you who remember, Daniel Crowninshield set up a scheme whereby a person would purchase an 80% lower, then would pay him to use his CNC mills to finish it. The government argued that this amounting to manufacturing without a license. A novel theory, to be sure, but because they picked the right guy they never had to test out this novel theory in court.
Now, if you help people machine AR-15 lower receivers for profit, you can probably expect to spend some time in prison. Just a bit of general advice for people who might be tempted to try to walk the razors edge on violating or not violating the Gun Control Act: it probably will not look very good to a jury if you go by the alias “Dr. Death.” I mean, it’s a free country and all, but just sayin’. I’d also not advise not walking the razor on GCA while being a domestic violent misdemeanant, allegedly in possession of an unregistered machine gun. I’m sure that probably played into the decision to take the plea deal. Now the feds get to claim a scalp without having to test their novel theory of manufacturing without a license in court.
UPDATE: Along the same vein, attending open carry protests and making sure everyone knows who you are, and knows that you’er armed, when you have two felony raps is also not going to make things easy on your lawyer.
Golly. I feel so much “safer” knowing that so many Federal resources are being used to jail such “obvious threats” like Torres. So much “better” than using those resources to chase murderers and rapists running loose in our streets.
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Former FBI Special Agent John Iannarelli says it is common for the JTTF to monitor militia-type groups, and make arrests with lesser charges if they spot someone who’s breaking the law.
“Whether they build a case and arrest them on terrorism, or if they look at current charges, such as illegal possession of a weapon, the bottom line is that person is off the street and no longer a possible threat to the public,” said Iannarelli.
Torres is just another example of why you shouldn’t put evidence of felonious behavior on the Internet. Maybe he’s mild as milk — but he’s still a “prohibited person” when it comes to firearms possession. Felony stupid.
Crowninshield, IMO, is a clear reminder of why you shouldn’t try to outsmart the law: the law tends to resent it, and reacts accordingly.
The point about Torres isn’t that he’s guilty, the point is the bizarre focus the FBI has on the “militia threat”. Look close enough and long enough at anyone, and you can find a crime to pin on them.
Why is Torres in jail, but Bill Maher and David Gregory are out walking around? They are just as guilty as Torres, but so much more public in their crimes than Torres ever was.
David Gregory wasn’t a prohibited person walking around with a firearm. Give it a “reasonable person” test: Torres is a felon with a loaded gun, Gregory is a journalist waving around a magazine prohibited to non-government employees in the location where he is performing. Which of these would a reasonable person perceive as a possible danger? I don’t know the particulars of any on-camera Maher firearm-related crimes, so I haven’t addressed them.
Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. The other difference between Torres and Gregory is choice of venue: it’s real hard to incur the ire of the D.C. police by supporting gun control. On the other hand, the FBI is quite lathered about anything they perceive as “militia activity” and will reliably rise to that bait. This is news to anyone who has paid attention in the past thirty years? And the point here is that he indeed guilty, as guilty as the driver who chooses to go roaring through a known speed trap at 2x the limit in a bright red ‘Vette, blowing his horn and mooning the cops. Felony stupid.
Bill Maher is another prohibited person who owns firearms, and bragged about the elements of his crime on TV and in print, even during his own HBO show.
The point about Torres wasn’t his stupidity. The point was about the injustice. The point is that there is one set of rules for poor right-wingers in our Nation and a different set for rich left-wingers.
Torres is no more a threat to anyone than Bill Maher is. But only one of them is in jail.
In our nation it seems that Laws are only for the peasants, and not for our lords and masters.
Oh the D.C Police did want to prosecute David Gregory, since his violation was so flagrant. Gregory ignored direct warnings from the police that his action would violate the law, but he went ahead and did it anyway. And I bet a half dozen more people were also guilty who worked with the production of Meet The Press. That magazine didn’t just magically appear in David Gregory’s hands when taping.
But Gregory had friends in high places…
https://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2015/01/23/david-gregory-arrest-affidavit-nbc-knew-he-would-violate-dc-gun-law