Former Ky. gun dealer charged with threatening ATF agent, putting gun in the mail

[jpak]

http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/f0cc2e68224f474aaa4bc9712257d620/KY--ATF-Agent-Threat/

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A former Kentucky gun shop owner has been charged with mailing a 9 mm pistol and a threatening letter to a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agent overseeing an investigation into his activities.

Federal agents charged Ted Schlenker of Louisville with knowingly depositing a firearm in the mail and mailing a threatening communication to a federal law enforcement officer.

Schlenker, a former Kentucky Department of Corrections employee who was arrested Saturday, owned Kentucky Gun Runners in LaGrange until January 2011. Schlenker remains in federal custody after waiving a detention hearing scheduled for Monday. He did not give a reason for the waiver.

ATF Agent Kevin Funke wrote in an affidavit that ATF Agent Dan Volk in Bowling Green had been sent the pistol along with a note making reference to "getting a better gun if you want this to look like a suicide." Postal workers found the gun and letter outside an open manila envelope while doing a mail pickup from a box.

<more>

[ileus]

1. I could only hope someone would mail me a pistol.

What about me? ME DAMNIT ME!

[Johnny Rico]

3. So get a C&R FFL...

Of course, the pistol will have to be (with rare exceptions) at least 50 years old, and you'll presumably have to pay for it...life is a series of tradeoffs.

[ileus]

5. No...I want a free pistol with a hate note attached.

Or a card.....don't matter just send me the hardware. (one with a clear SN; not stolen or used in a crime please.)

[Clames]

2. Must not have used enough postage...

...they really want that money and it's about $8 to ship a full size 9mm.

[GreenStormCloud]

4. And your point is?

Right, you don't have one.

[Hoyt]

8. Point is clear. Gun nuts/lovers aren't as law-abiding as gun culture wants us to believe.

[GreenStormCloud]

16. Put that strawman back in the barn.

Nobody here has claimed 100% purity. Any large group of people will have some bad ones and gun owners are not an exception. We do support charging, trying, and if convicted, sentencing our bad apples.

[rl6214]

6. So what's your point, someone that owned a gun shop did a criminal thing?

Oh the horror...sending a pistol thru the US mail is a criminal offense, arrest him, have a trial and if convicted throw him in jail.

Don't get your panties all in a twist because you found a story that had the word GUN in it.





















At least you didn't use the word ZIMMERMAN in your post

[Meiko]

7. Actually

it's legal for a licensed dealer to send a handgun through the mail. The only requirement is that you fill out a form 1508.

[gejohnston]

9. actually no,

using USPS to ship handguns was banned in 1927 (Mailing of Firearms Act aka the Miller Act) You can use USPS for long guns but must use private shippers for pistols.

[Meiko]

10. I beg to differ

I was an FFL for over 10 years and shipped handguns through USPS all the time. All that is required is that you fill out a postal form 1508 that identifies you as a dealer.

http://pe.usps.com/text/pub52/pub52c4_009.htm

[gejohnston]

11. any lawyers around

to see if it has been repealed? Perhaps the law specified "the post office" (pre Nixon) and USPS is state corporation, maybe the law treats USPS like UPS?
18 U.S.C.A. § 1715

http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/gun+control
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/February_1927

[Meiko]

12. I shipped handguns

as late as 2010. You would think that if it were illegal the PO would say something and certainly they wouldn't have a form to fill out.

Only licensed manufacturers and dealers can mail handguns. And even though unloaded rifles and shotguns are mailable, mailers must comply with all applicable laws.

https://www.usps.com/send/can-you-mail-it-intl.htm

[gejohnston]

13. I get that

-that is why I am wondering since it was illegal 1927-1971 to use the "Post Office". In 1971, the US Post Office ceased to exist and is now USPS. According to Wiki, the law still exists, so maybe it was written so narrow that it is not relevant now. Fine with me, I like USPS more than the private shippers anyway.

[Meiko]

15. That's a good point

I really don't know why they failed to pull the law. I am sure it happens all the time though considering how many laws we have on the books. I think I'll do some research and see what I can find out.

[iverglas]

14. and you tried so hard ...

Oh the horror...sending a pistol thru the US mail is a criminal offense, arrest him, have a trial and if convicted throw him in jail.

Well, apparently not, but ...

A former Kentucky gun shop owner has been charged with mailing a 9 mm pistol and a threatening letter to a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agent overseeing an investigation into his activities.

You didn't think he just mailed the thing out of the blue and the goodness of his heart, did you??