Open Letter to ATF, Investigate St. Tammany, La Sheriff Gun Confiscations

Sheriff’s Office of St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana
St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana.Sheriff Jack Strain, Jr. & Chief Deputy Tim Lentz
Phillip M. Durham
Special Agent in Charge
New Orleans Field Office
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
U.S. Department of Justice
One Galleria Boulevard, Suite 1700
Metairie, Louisiana 70001
Independent Firearm Owners Association
Independent Firearm Owners Association

Rindge, New Hampshire –-(Ammoland.com)- Dear Mr. Durham,

On behalf of the Independent Firearm Owners Association (IFoA) and our members in Louisiana, I am hereby requesting you to open an investigation into violations of federal firearm laws we believe to have been committed (on going) by the Sheriff’s Office of St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana.

Since we commenced an action against Sheriff Jack Strain in Federal District Court New Orleans, ( Sherrie Manton IFoA v. Sheriff Rodney “Jack” Strain, Jr. et al) a substantial number of citizens from St. Tammany Parish have contacted us regarding the confiscation of their firearms (under the guise of asset forfeitures), never to be seen by their lawful owners after final investigation.

Furthermore we have developed information that the office in question apparently transfers those “seized” firearms and sells them “for profit” to friends, co-workers and others.

We have looked at the most recent records of FFL licensees in Louisiana and cannot find the St. Tammany Sheriff’s Office as a bone fide licensee. It is our legal opinion that the ongoing and substantial transfer of firearms “for profit” constitutes both a violation of the GCA ‘68 which you are primarily tasked with enforcing as well as other serious state and federal criminal acts which fall under the jurisdiction of other agencies.

Therefore we respectfully request a thorough investigation of the acquisition and disposition of firearms by the St. Tammany Sheriff’s Office.

We will provide you with the names of individuals who have both personal and direct knowledge of these allegations and are prepared to give such testimony under oath. We at the Independent Firearm Owners Association strongly support the critical mission ATF has in preventing the illegal marketing and transfer in firearms. This issue becomes even more compelling when the perpetrators are doing so under “color of law” and disgrace the office and the community they are sworn to protect.

We look forward to working with you in the New Orleans Field Office providing any and all information we have to help expedite your investigation into this matter.

Sincerely yours,
 
Richard Feldman, Esq.
President
Independent Firearm Owners Association
[email protected]
www.IFoAusa.org

About:
The Independent Firearm Owners Association believes that defending the constitutional and statutory right of firearms ownership will be most successful when based upon a broad understanding of attitudes different Americans hold toward the role of firearms in a free society. www.independentfirearmowners.org

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Marinevet

Several years ago STPSO was doing the same thing with peoples homes. Confiscating their homes and tax sales in selling two friends and family members. There was some short-lived media attention after some of the victims came forward.

clyde crain

Not only the STPSO, but the small-town police depts. And if confiscated guns are to be disposed of by police depts, a public bid should be allowed. Not just guns and ammo, but anything of value. A law enforcement office that is funded by tax money, should let the tax payers have a chance to bid on anything not returned to legal owners.

2ndsupporter

The current interest is in the unlawful sales…Mr. Feldman….an FFL was not found… . Isn’t an FFL also required to have an Automatic Weapon ?… How can they have those legally then ?.. Nobody else caught that ?… They have a virtual arsenal over there… .

Chuck

Cops in Chesterfield County, SC, came into my nephew's house on a trumped up charge, which they never charged him with anything. They took his rifle and claimed it would be destroyed. I know they took it straight home with them. They did not even have a search warrant. This is a very corrupt police dept. and makes Boss Hogg look straight as an arrow.

Seanoamericano

Despicable behavior from despicable people. What else would you expect when honest intelligent and respectful are words that disqualify a person from joining law enforcement.

Mike88

Just for the record, I don't support Law Enforcement Officers steeling Private Property under the guise or name of enforcing the law. If the officers offered to purchase the property (private Collection of guns) from the owners, and if the owners offered to sell their private property (their gun collection) then there is no problem, and there would be a legitimate Contract, but this is not the case, confiscation of any private property by any law enforcement agency for any purpose is still nothing but theft of private property. The civilian owners of this private property had to purchase their… Read more »

Richard Feldman

Just to add to the above, we support LE selling properly seized firearms back to the public, so long as its the public that benefits, not "off the record" individual officers. We believe that law enforcement "for profit" is wholly contrary to the best interests of freedom and our citizenry.

Richard Feldman

We are very interested in hearing about law enforcement agencies transferring guns directly to the public in private officier sales? Totally confidential [email protected]

Thanks.

Richard

Bring It.

No surprise here. Cops not only are not obligated to protect the public, they are also repeatedly caught breaking the law themselves. When they come for your guns, fight or destroy them. If not, your prized M1 Garand will probably wind up on some cop's wall.