In a shocking development last Friday, a federal grand jury indicted five individuals on charges of conspiring to illegally acquire machine guns and other regulated firearms.
Among those indicted are prominent figures from North Carolina, North Dakota, and Maryland.
Table of contents
Key Figures Indicted
The indictment unveiled the names of Sean Reidpath Sullivan, Larry Allen Vickers, James Christopher Tafoya, Matthew Jeremy Hall, and James Sawyer.
Hall and Sawyer were identified as Chiefs of Police from Coats, North Carolina, and Ray, North Dakota, respectively.
Sullivan, on the other hand, held an Intelligence Analyst position with the Department of Homeland Security Investigations and was the proprietor of Trident, LLC. He also owns B&T USA.
Both Sullivan’s firm and he held Federal Firearms Licenses. Meanwhile, Tafoya and Vickers operated firearm-related businesses in New Mexico and North Carolina.
Alleged Deceit for Firearms
The core of the indictment alleges that these individuals, from June 2018 to March 2021, conspired to obtain firearms under false pretenses.
They purportedly misled authorities, claiming the firearms would be used for law enforcement demonstrations.
However, evidence suggests these weapons were either resold for profit or kept for personal enjoyment.
Vickers Pleads Guilty
Larry Vickers has already pleaded guilty, admitting to his role in the conspiracy.
Additionally, he confessed to violating U.S. sanctions against a foreign firearms manufacturer. Although facing potential jail time of up to 25 years, sentencing for Vickers remains pending.
Potential Consequences for the Accused
If found guilty, the other defendants could face up to five years in prison for each charge related to the firearms conspiracy. Sullivan faces additional charges, which could result in a decade-long prison sentence.
However, it’s essential to underline that an indictment doesn’t equate to guilt. All accused individuals are presumed innocent until proven otherwise.
Commentary: Second Amendment Foundation Speaks Out
Lee Williams, a journalist from the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF), provides a critical perspective on this matter.
Williams emphasizes that the ATF, previously criticized for controversial operations (Fast and Furious), is now targeting Larry Vickers, a retired special operations veteran.
A recently published story, titled, “ATF’s Pursuit of Larry Vickers is About Headlines, Not Justice,” delved into Vickers’ interactions with a Russian arms manufacturer.
Williams clarifies that while Vickers may have accepted a few guns and consulting fees, there’s no evidence of him importing weapons from this Russian company.
Williams implies that Vickers’ guilty plea stems from financial constraints, suggesting that the U.S. Attorney’s win was convenient, preventing the need to address complex questions.
SEE ALSO: ATF Seize Huge Larry Vickers Gun Collection
There’s also intrigue surrounding the police chiefs’ requests for exotic weapons. ATF’s approval of these unusual requests sparks questions regarding their involvement or competency.
Williams also touches upon the potential challenge to the National Firearms Act’s constitutionality. Especially in light of recent cases (Bruen decision), the legality of such regulations remains debatable.
Highlighting Vickers’ military background, Williams believes that the veteran’s high-profile nature made him an attractive target for authorities seeking to make headlines.
He concludes by lamenting that a mere warning via the telephone could have prevented this saga. And that imprisoning Vickers would not serve justice.
What say you?
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Does anyone think Vickers didn’t know what he was doing? Was illegal???
From what I glean in this article, I am shocked that Vickers did not have legal reps on retainer. When insurance policies from firearms focused legal establishments are in ready availability all over the web it is antithetical that Vickers, a career SOF man, was NOT PREPARED for such an engagement as this. Talk about a failure of contingency thinking!
Don’t know much about Vickers, and after 30 years in the jump-out-of-Airplanes-and-kick-doors biz, my interest in firearms isn’t more similar pieces of machinery. Instead, since retirement it runs to fine classic bolt action rifles reminiscent of the Jack O’Connor period i.e. the 1960’s through 1980’s, where the metal is all deep blued and everything not metal is walnut. Ideally fine figured Circassian walnut.
That said, if some pathetic sad sack is going to bloviate with “you don’t back the blue” or “nobody is above the law”… make an adult argument that there is no dichotomy in the enforcement of the law. Larry Vickers (stipulating for the purpose of discussion, undeniably did everything they charged him with) is getting EXACTLY the same attention from Federal “gun crime” investigators that First Son Biden is getting. Vickers the Veteran is getting EXACTLY the same “no one is above the law; Back The Democrat Blue At The Top” treatment as the Drug Addict Bagman Formerly Known As The Crackhead Kid, booted from the military who as a prohibited possessor illegally purchased a handgun. And then committed the additional felony of taking that illegal firearm into the prohibited area around a school.
Same DoJ giving the same identical “equal justice for all” to Catholics they’re investigating as supposed potential terrorists? Parents arrested and charged for protesting at a school board meeting, no violence or threats, because a Gender Blender male teenager was being protected after raping his daughter? And then another teenage girl?
Even if Vickers did absolutely everything they say he did. Even if he didn’t plead guilty because he like General Flynn didn’t have the money to defend himself from groups of government lawyers with all the money they wanted to spend in taxpayers’ pockets. Even if he didn’t plead guilty because his lawyer told him plead to the lesser offenses or they will do everything they can to jail you for decades and then go after your family as well because you wouldn’t plead.
This isn’t about Vickers. Or even gun laws. This is about prosecutors that ignore greater threats to instead specific people that are no real threat.
Anybody claiming “nobody is above the law/Back The Top Of The Blue” know how FEW prohibited possessors are charged for that after shooting somebody in another crime?
The laws or statutes in question here are so egregiously anti-american, that it the prima fascia evidence that the Government has been corrupt for a very long time. Repeal the NFA and all statues related to the keeping and bearing of armaments by law-abiding American Citizens!
It’s important to distinguish the law at issue here, and it is not really the NFA. Rather, it is the Hughes Amendment, signed in 1986 by Ronald Reagan with the full support of Wayne LaPierre and the NRA. Following that change to the 922 statutes, the specific rules regarding post samples and law letters was fabricated and passed into CFR form. That part, at least, of Larry Vickers’ troubles are not even statutory law, but rather bureaucratic regulation. A reading of the simple language of the statute at issue here raises serious questions about grotesque overreach by the ATF by the very nature of the CRF rules at play here. A very strong case can be made that separation of powers violations, exceeding of statutory authority and other Constitutional rights violations are created by ATF regulations governing SOTs and Law Enforcement agencies when it comes to post May 19,1986 dealer sample machine guns.
Dexter Winslett
Are mentally deficient or something?
“Where was the NRA when I needed them.”
– Larry Vickers
Sounds like a ‘dealer sample’ scenario with some local revenge motivation and a few add-on nuisance charges to pad the indictment and artificially introduce negotiation points to get the accused to plea.
In other words; Business as usual for our perverted ‘legal’ system.
“Williams implies that Vickers’ guilty plea stems from financial constraints, suggesting that the U.S. Attorney’s win was convenient, preventing the need to address complex questions.” One of the biggest violation of freedom in this country, is by the governments of States and the US, who can make accusations, and go after the victim with unlimited resources. State and US govt. employees are paid for 40 hours a week and can stay on a case until they retire if need be, while the victim has to deplete their resources, or go into debt to defend themselves. It sounds like Vickers may be protecting his family for have to live in a cardboard box on a sidewalk somewhere.
Absolutely true statement. State and federal governments using our tax dollars to ruin a person life.
This ‘sample letter’ for police departments has been going on for decades. A local two man department was signing for Ma Deuces, M60s and other non LE weapons for years in the mid 1990’s and ATF never did a damn thing even after being tipped off by members of the department. This is obviously a witch hunt of the highest order.
Well, my thoughts are that the ATF has and always will overstep their authority as long as (America last) haters are in charge of our beautiful constitutional republic! Every time I read the news they are adding another unconstitutional law to the 2A community. They are not law makers but they believe they can just make laws up out of thin air. Defund the ATF and the Lets Go Brandon Biden administration!
All you “What about…” need to stop. He broke the law and he plead guilty. A lot of people who “back the blue” and are for law and order are only so until it is one of their tribe that gets arrested, indited or convicted. It always surprises me how all these “Pull yourself up by your bootstraps” and “F your feelings” neo-conservatives are the first ones to cry that’s not fair – like the whiny babies that they are.
All you “Nobody is above the law even if their name is Larry Vickers, Hunter Biden, or the rando ghetto gang banging felon with a long felony record” gaslighters need to stop the pathetic and transparent attempts to make your snivelling claims this is more proof of one single standard of justice for all.
Because of course, NOBODY has ever pled guilty for no reason other than they didn’t have the money to defend themselves.
Or because they were given a choice that went something along the lines of “and then watch us criminalize your family and jail them beside you”.
Or because a promise of no more than a few weeks in jail to go along with that record sure beats a probable 10-15 years of hard time if they REALLY want to make an example of you.
So tell us we can’t possibly be ‘backing the blue’ when we point out these same police state fascists have been attempting hide Hunter Biden’s felony actions regarding firearms FOR YEARS. And we can’t possibly be ‘backing the blue’ when we point out that once they couldn’t hide his firearms felonys and other felonies like FARA and money laundering criminality, they tried to give him a deal that gave him immunity from ALL his criminal activity in exchange for a guilty plea with nothing more than an outrageous struggle session counseling and probation.
A drug addict First Son Biden,booted from the military for drug use, who never saw a day overseas in even a support role, commits a felony purchasing a firearm as a prohibited person. Then another felony having that firearm in a school zone. In response, the top levels of the DoJ, right up to Biden’s version of Stalin’s Lavarentiy Beria, Merrick Garland, swing into action to hide and NOT prosecute that gun crime. And when they can’t hide it any longer, provide a misdemeanor Get Out Of Jail For All Felonies slap on the wrist for the First Son.
Larry Vickers getting the same treatment?
Larry Vickers too white and too veteran for you? Fine: did the black rappers who were prohibited possessors when they were found with firearms get an identical First Son Biden plea deal?
How about the Black Liars & Marxists and Antifa rioters that attempted to assault the White House a few months before January 6th? Over 50 Secret Service and Capital Police sent to hospital with wounds incurred repelling the assault. Secret Service so concerned they could not stop the rioters from entering the White House that they evacuated the president and his family to a secure nuclear bunker.
Going to tell us the same “Equal Justice For All” FBI management is just as diligently hunting down those criminals as they are the ones they’ve hunted down for being on the lawn, not assaulting Secret Service with Molotov Cocktails?
No, you can’t.
It isn’t about Vickers. And it isn’t about law enforcement in general. It’s about YOU.
You apologists for the police state fascism unleashed on gun owners, veterans, anything that ever supported Trump, Catholics, right to life protesters, parents who don’t want teachers encouraging their pre-pubescent children to engage or sex or change their sex… you are loathsome anti-American creatures no better than the police state fascists targeting those who appear to be opponents to their agenda.
Except for those who notice the crack dealer with five previous felony convictions who gets 18 months for selling Glock switches, while poor ol’ Larry gets two and half decades. Yeah, it’s a show trial, just like all the clowns screaming “insurrection” about 01/06 while silent about Jamal Bowman.
That’s the good ol American Just-Us system for ya. Everyone pleas regardless of guilt because our system is so corrupt and expensive. Plea bargains are so American. If you are guilty you make out and if you are innocent you get screwed. These are proud times for cuck Americans.
This is about showing the entire world what happens to people that step on the wrong side of the current administration and their various “guard dog” agencies. Cross the line and they will find something to allow them to send one of them, be it the ATF, FBI, IRS, or EPA, out to threaten you with litigation, financial ruin, and possible incarceration for you or your friends and family that can be connected to you, if you don’t just do what they want.
The constitution doesn’t limit the type of “arm” you can own. Fed’s are way out of line here! God given, cannot be removed or infringed upon.
“Vickers count.” If he truly plead guilty due to financial restraints what the hell does that say about our judicial system? How many key public figures have plead out in just the last month and said “financial” reasons keep me from telling you all to “F” off?
It’s clearly safer to go after these guys who didn’t hurt anyone than to go after actual violent criminals. NFA should be abolished anyway.
Can you say regime. This administration is pure evil. Americans really need to stand up. I mean a few million protestors at a time. Peaceful protests of course! God help us.
This has been going on for decades and way before pedo Joe took power.
Finally, a competent and to the point article! Thanks!
Sounds like infringement to me…
of course he’s screwed…….lets face it he aint no hunter biden or alec baldwin