For buying a fully auto M14 with scratched off serial numbers. Bought the gun in the early 80's. He identified with the weapon from his service, I think they should give the guy a break.


https://www.foxnews.com/us/vietnam-...Fgj6mlQvRtImR2N-rjuO7JW1Iy4tJgz8pKFG7NXc

I guess it just depends what the law says as to the punishment he should have received. Personally, I don’t think what he did should be against the law but it is, so I would have given him the minimum. He broke the law. He knew he broke the law. His service in Vietnam can’t be factored into it because then, we the people aren’t all equal under the law. That’s a dangerous place to be.

anyone who saw combat in Nam ought to get some slack cut to him.

respect to the guy for his service, but you got to be borderline retarded to buy a gun with the serial number ground off..........particularly one that is already illegal to to own to begin with.

Yup exactly. Messing with ClassIII and the feds if you're not going to be legal is dumb.
Play with fire, getting burned shouldn't be unexpected.

Should have gotten a slap on the wrist - significant fine and a lot of community service, maybe 30 days in jail.
But 7 years is insane.

First, I don't think he deserves a lower sentence because of his military career. Why should he get less time than anyone else who breaks the law? Second, this article isn't telling everything. He wasn't just charged with possessing an unregistered M14. He was also charged with possessing 14 other firearms and he was a prohibited person under federal law. (unlawful user of controlled substances.) He was also charged with the removed serial number which is also a crime.

Here is the kicker for all you guys, he didn't even plead guilty to the charges associated with the M14. They were dismissed. He plead guilty and was sentenced for being a unlawful user of controlled substances in possession of a firearm. When they searched his house, they found a good amount of marijuana and cocaine. He admitted to being a drug addict. Therefore, under current federal law, he isn't allowed to possess a firearm.

Lastly, he was mentally evaluated and determined to suffer from schizophrenia and bi-polar disorder.

[quote=doekiller]First, I don't think he deserves a lower sentence because of his military career. Why should he get less time than anyone else who breaks the law? Second, this article isn't telling everything. He wasn't just charged with possessing an unregistered M14. He was also charged with possessing 14 other firearms and he was a prohibited person under federal law. (unlawful user of controlled substances.) He was also charged with the removed serial number which is also a crime.

Here is the kicker for all you guys, he didn't even plead guilty to the charges associated with the M14. They were dismissed. He plead guilty and was sentenced for being a unlawful user of controlled substances in possession of a firearm. When they searched his house, they found a good amount of marijuana and cocaine. He admitted to being a drug addict. Therefore, under current federal law, he isn't allowed to possess a firearm.

Lastly, he was mentally evaluated and determined to suffer from schizophrenia and bi-polar disorder.


You stop that right now.

That is a lot of extra information that puts the case into a whole different light.

Still, I don't think someone should get 7 years just because they had pot and coke in their house and
firearms at the same time.

Well, you went all Paul Harvey on us.

Drugs should be a civil fine like a speeding ticket, IMO. Instead of costing tax payers millions upon millions in jail, it'd actually generate some money instead. (Edit : Probably still jail for the pushers though)

I feel like full-auto's should be plain class 3 just like SBR's and Suppressors. Considering it's pretty rare for any of those to be used in a crime, it makes sense to me.

Having a scratched out serial though.. That's just dumb on his part.

hey Scott, like none of those other problems came out of his Vietnam service......

Yeah, If I fought in Vietnam, I probably would have came back coping with drugs too. Hard to blame a man in his shoes. Even vets today get the shaft sometimes on PTSD treatment but back then was horrible.

I support enforcing the gun laws we have. If they don't enforce the laws they just end up wanting to add more. My father served 2 years in Vietnam. I'm not sure what this guy's service has to do with anything. Just like life there are good people and chitty people in the military. Lots a vietnam veterans served proudly without becoming drug addicts. Yes I think the NFA laws need to be changed.

43 years is also an awfully long time to get off of drugs.

I have known SEVERAL Vietnam vets, one was a POW, and one was even a tunnel rat. If anyone had a reason to be an addict, it was them. Neither was though.

was this a full auto macine gun or a semi auto machine gun?

Full auto/select fire is what I understand.

i know alot of veterans and most of them that are addicts were addicts before the military and they still are after being in the service was just a break but now they got a steady income from disability and early retirement to blow on dope.

🙂