Gun Companys and Americans... Check Out Bidens New "Laws"
Gregory Kielma • October 31, 2023
Biden Administration Opens a New Front in its War on Guns and the Companies That Make Them
By Larry Keane -October 31, 20237
President Joe Biden is stepping up his effort to cripple the firearm industry, the one industry that provides the means for law-abiding citizens to exercise their Second Amendment rights.
President Biden’s Commerce Department issued a new and unprecedented edict that bans the export of firearms, ammunition and certain accessories to most overseas markets. The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security posted a notice of a 90-day “pause” for the exports on a Friday afternoon – on the Frequently Asked Questions Section that’s listed on the bottom the BIS website.
The “Friday news dump” was apparently an attempt to slip the kneecapping of the industry under the radar. However, this appears to be a coordinated event and more evidence of gun control groups steering domestic and foreign policy for the Biden administration.
Earlier Attacks
President Biden’s revulsion that Americans would actually choose to exercise their Second Amendment rights has long been clear. He labeled firearm manufacturers “the enemy” at the outset of his campaign for The White House. That was a purposeful choice of words. He didn’t say the firearm industry “opposed” his policies, nor did he say it was an “adversary.” He chose to call the firearm industry “the enemy,” labeling it as an existential threat to the America he wanted to fashion during his administration.
Since he was inaugurated, Biden has taken every opportunity to wage a campaign against the firearm industry and gun owners in general. He nominated David Chipman, a gun control lobbyist, to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The ATF, of course, is the federal agency that regulates the firearm industry. His nomination was akin to putting the fox in charge of the hen house. NSSF opposed and his nomination was withdrawn. Director Steve Dettelbach was later nominated and confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
Giffords David Chipman ATF
Giffords Law Center Senior Policy Advisor David Chipman (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
There’s also the ATF’s “zero-tolerance” policy that has seen federal firearms licenses (FFLs) revoked and businesses closed for minor clerical errors, even in cases that were addressed and closed. Some of those cases were reopened to revoke licenses and shut down businesses and livelihoods. As part of that pressure campaign, there’s been a significant increase in the number of “voluntary” license surrenders by business owners who agreed to give up their licenses instead of fight the weight of the federal government over the onerous policy.
President Biden has used nearly every lever of government he can to erect roadblocks to law-abiding citizens to exercise their Second Amendment rights and hobble the firearm industry’s ability to meet the demands of gun owners. He issued Final Rules through the Department of Justice (DOJ) and ATF to attempt an end-around Congress and redefine “frames or receivers” and ban stabilizing pistol braces.
The frame or receiver rule outlawed the sale of unfinished firearm parts kits and his stabilizing pistol brace rule redefined brace-equipped pistols as short-barreled rifles, requiring that they be registered as controlled items under the National Firearms Act, requiring tax stamps and submission of fingerprints, photos and redundant background checks.
Both Final Rules are being challenged in the courts as unconstitutional. That’s because they are. The Final Rules create criminal law without the consent and will of Congress. It is important to remember that only Congress can write laws – especially those that involve criminal punishments. When an executive authority does that on its own, that’s tantamount to tyranny.
President Biden also took aim at gun owners and hunters by kowtowing to anti-hunting and antigun special interests to ban the use of traditional lead ammunition on National Wildlife Refuges (NWRs). His administration hasn’t done this just once – but twice (and just last week). These rules phase out the use of traditional lead ammunition and require more expensive and less available alternative ammunition. It was announced that it was to protect wildlife populations from the detrimental effects of the use of traditional ammunition.
Shotgun ammunition shells lead
President Biden promised his administration would “follow the science,” except it isn’t. There is no peer-reviewed, site-specific evidence to support the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) claims. They published the rules claiming to protect human health, California condors and American bald eagles. But the sites where they are banning the ammunition don’t hold condor populations.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s own research demonstrates there is no human risk from consuming game harvested using traditional ammunition. American bald eagles are thriving, in large part because of the contributions paid by firearm and ammunition manufacturers through Pittman-Robertson excise taxes. That’s benefited wildlife conservation to the tune of over $25 billion since 1937, when adjusted for inflation.
The Latest Salvo
Now, the Biden administration has slipped in this “pause” on firearm exports. That’s significant for several reasons.
First, President Biden campaigned on reversing the U.S. Munitions List to Commerce Control List (USML-CCL) export reforms that were begun under the Obama-Biden administration and completed by the Trump administration. Those reforms reduced regulatory costs and streamlined exports while strengthening end-to-end user checks to ensure firearm exports weren’t being sent overseas to bad actors.
Opponents of these reforms include disgraced U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), who coveted his Senate oversight role to bless or block any firearm exports under the old rules.
Senator Robert Menendez New Jersey
It’s now apparent why he so zealously wanted that oversight back. The longtime ally of President Biden was recently indicted on federal corruption and bribery charges that stem from him greasing the skids for small-arms shipments to companies in Egypt. FBI officials raided his home and found hundreds of thousands of dollars wadded up and stuffed in his jacket pockets, along with stacks of gold bars. The twice-indicted senator has also been charged with illegally acting as an agent for the Egyptian government.
The export “pause” is unprecedented and the timing is suspect. The Biden administration’s new Office of Gun Violence Prevention, which is staffed by gun control lobbyists and activists, just concluded a roundtable meeting with Democratic lieutenant governors to explore new ways they could collaborate on more gun control.
It also took place in the wake of successive Bloomberg News features that called into question exports to foreign countries, falsely alleging that U.S. manufacturers are somehow complicit in stoking crime.
One was an attack on SIG SAUER over crime in Thailand and a later article focused on Central and South America. Another attacked the Commerce Department’s role in assisting U.S. manufacturers at NSSF’s annual SHOT Show. That’s something the Commerce Department does for all industries.
Bloomberg News is owned, of course, by Michael Bloomberg. He’s the billionaire former New York City mayor who flamed out on his own attempt to occupy the Oval Office. He also ran an undercover sting to uncover illegal gun trafficking in other states…without notifying the ATF or FBI. That put the lives of federal agents in jeopardy and was subsequently chastised by his own police chief and the U.S. Department of Justice.
Michael Bloomberg
Bloomberg is also the financier of Everytown for Gun Safety and their mouthpiece The Trace, the gun control group that now has office space in The White House, along with other gun control projects he’s funding, such as Moms Demand Action, Students Demand Action and the Center for Gun Violence Solutions at Johns Hopkins University’s Bloomberg School of Public Health. When you pay that much money to fund gun control, universities name an entire school after you.
During this so-called “pause” in exports, the Commerce Department will conduct a “policy review to determine if changes are warranted to advance U.S. national security and policy interests.” Of course, this raises concerns that under the guise of human rights, the Biden administration will actually attempt to undo the USML-CCL reforms, extend the “pause” indefinitely, impose unwarranted regulatory burdens to increase costs to exporters and close off overseas markets to American firearm manufacturers.
Purely Political
All firearm and ammunition exports, of course, are subject to Defense and State Department review, which can halt exports if there are concerns. Firearm and ammunition license applications undergo a 100 percent end-user check by the BIS Office of Export Enforcement. They do this regardless of how long a company has been doing business with a particular customer, regardless of how many times the buyer was subjected to an end-user check and regardless of whether BIS has no derogatory information on that customer, even if the end-user was recently approved.
At present, no other commodity is subject to this same 100 percent check requirement. The kicker is that The White House has complete authority to regulate the export of firearms. That’s what exposes this “pause” as being purely politically motivated.
In July, the Biden administration sought to create a new division within BIS called “Embargoes and Human Rights.” With the assistance of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Commerce, Justice and Science, this creation of the division was blocked. It could be that the export “pause” is political payback.
There’s no right to export and the decision to grant or deny a license is purely a function of the national security and foreign policy assessment of those in charge. The USML-CCL reforms give the administration complete and essential unfettered discretion. BIS invoked national security and foreign affairs as the reason for the pause.
Congressional reaction to this move comes through the power of the purse. Congress can – and must – act through appropriations to ensure that the Biden administration is held accountable for its attempt to kneecap the industry through this unprecedented halt in exports
This is a naked attempt by the Biden administration to hobble the firearm industry, which President Biden made more than clear he despises. It’s also a shameless favor to the gun control industry that have bought their way into The White House and are now using foreign policy to exert their influence over domestic policy.
The American firearm industry has been called the “arsenal of democracy” because a strong and robust small arms manufacturing base has armed and equipped our law enforcement at home and our military and allies abroad. President Biden’s export “pause” is an attempt to weaken that capability and diminish the industry that provides the means for Americans to exercise their Second Amendment rights.
Larry Keane is SVP for Government and Public Affairs, Assistant Secretary and General Counsel of the National Shooting Sports Foundation.
Vicki Lynn Frantz...A true "Bagger" What A Mutt! Fulton County (Ga.) Sheriff's Office Corrections employee, caught with pants down in office with inmate, says she's the victim in shocking prison scandal... Sure A corrections employee allegedly was about to have sex with an inmate when a security guard busted her — but she claims her life was threatened. A former corrections employee in Georgia is accused of attempting to have sexual relations with an inmate and selling cigarettes to another prisoner, according to authorities. Vickie Lynn Frantz, 56, also known as hot lips and hot pants... was terminated from her job as a purchasing assistant at the Atlanta Transitional Center — a correctional facility — on Monday. 'My client is the victim of the whole situation, and yet she is falsely accused of those charges.' The U.S. Marshals Service arrested Frantz, and she was booked into the Fulton County Jail on Monday. Frantz was hit with felony charges of criminal intent to commit a felony and trading with inmates without the consent of the warden or superintendent, according to jail records. A judge set her bond at $30,000. WSB reported that an investigation was launched after a security guard reported witnessing Frantz welcome an inmate into her office. Frantz — of Rome, Georgia — was about to have sex with an inmate in her office, police said. The affidavit of arrest that Blaze News obtained from the Georgia Department of Corrections states that the witness saw the inmate enter Frantz's office around 1:30 p.m. on June 30. "Accused Vickie Frantz committed criminal attempt to commit custodial sexual assault by allowing an inmate of the Georgia Department of Corrections into her office, then taking off her pants to allow sexual activity," the affidavit stated. The affidavit added, "But a security staff member intervened before any sexual acts occurred. Vickie Frantz was caught in her office lying on an inmate bed mat with no pants on and an inmate standing over her." Go Vickie, oink oink!!!! Let's see what the courts say. Innocent, who knows. Frantz also is accused of selling cigarettes to another inmate. "Vickie Frantz unlawfully accepted a payment of $50 via Chime to bring five packs of cigarettes into Atlanta Transitional Center," the affidavit stated. Despite the former corrections employee being in a position of power over inmates, Frantz's public defender said his client was the "victim." "She was under duress, and she was threatened with her life actually to comply with the demand by the complaining witness," assistant public defender Jae Kim told WSB. "My client is the victim of the whole situation, and yet she is falsely accused of those charges." Heath told WSB, "As we continue to demonstrate, we maintain a zero-tolerance policy for individuals who choose to ignore their oath and jeopardize our non-negotiable mission of public safety. The actions of this individual do not reflect the hundreds of officers who are committed each and every day to ensuring the safety of the public and the safe operations of our facilities." Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!
How to Safely Walk Your Dog or Favorite Pet While Armed by Gregg Kielma and Lee Williams Says FFL, Firearms, First Aid Fundamentals Instructor Gregg Kielma. I get asked this question all the time in my firearms classes. I live in Florida with a lot of ponds with alligators and wild pigs in or around them. Alligators like small dogs, like my seven (7) rescues. So, what do I do? I stay situationally aware all the time. I chose a routes away from any bad areas near ponds or wooded areas. If you have access to a fenced in dog park, that may be a better option. This For Florida Residents in Particular: Or any place you may encounter wild animals that can hurt you or your pet. I walk them during the day when I can see the ponds or wooded areas we are coming up to. I keep them close to me or most likely pick them up. We have sidewalks that run right next to big ponds alligators like to hang out in. (yes live in the country). I have wild pigs that do tremendous damage to property and if not careful to people and dogs. I'm always checking my surrounding for alligators, wild pigs or a bad actor hiding in the tree line that may try to hurt me or my wife. I keep my firearm easily accessible. I practice and can access my firearm in less than .003 seconds. I practice all the time. (Note: Alligators are very fast for short distances, you need to keep your "antenna's" up and always be ready. Wild pigs are very aggressive when there are little piglets around and will attack to save the piglets. They can hurt you or your pet just like an alligator). Dive to a safe area in your neighborhood, park your car and say away from ponds or heavily wooded areas. February through mid to end of April alligators are active. Its mating season and they become aggressive. Have a plan. What are you going to do to stop the threat? Don't wait until the last minute by then it's too late. Stay smart, situationally aware and ready for anything. Check out what Lees has to say and her recommendations. Take it away Lee! I get to walk Willa, our Boston Terrier, seven to eight times per day. I’m not sure who enjoys it more. Her timing is always perfect. After I’ve been writing for more than a few hours, she will jump into my lap or bite my ankles to let me know it’s time to take a break. Living in southwest Florida, the weather is our biggest non-tactical concern. We always avoid the hottest part of the day. I also carry a bottle of water and offer her sips while watching out for excessive panting. Boston Terriers are one of the Brachycephalic breeds, so she is more susceptible to heatstroke than other dogs. It’s crucial to adjust the intensity of our walk, and Willa is never shy about offering input. As to our tactical concerns, some suggestions follow: One of the most important considerations while walking your dog is that you will likely have just one free hand if you’re threatened. If you need to use deadly force, you will be shooting and possibly even reloading using only your strong hand. Practice is key, it’s crucial. Every time I’m at the range, I always shoot two or three magazines using only my strong hand. My weak hand is kept at my side, as if I’m holding her leash. Speed and accuracy are not the same as when I’ve got two free hands, which is why it’s so important to train. One-handed magazine changes are also much slower. I hold my empty weapon between my legs, pull a spare mag off of my weak side with my strong hand, and insert it into the weapon. I have practiced this with Willa dry but have yet to add gunfire to our training. Accuracy is worse than when using two hands, as is speed. Besides, I will likely have a 30-pound dog jumping and going crazy in my weak hand, so you can understand that my maximum effective range will shrink. Generally, the types of threats you may encounter on a dog walk are about the same as if you were walking alone, but there is the added possibility that someone may try to harm or steal your dog. Nowadays, some canines can cost thousands of dollars. Most likely, the bad guy will use some type of weapon. I have never heard of anyone who was victimized while walking their dog and forced to respond with force, being asked why they didn’t let their dog bite the bad guy. Most civilians don’t own attack-trained Malinois. Anyone who says anything different has likely never been in a gunfight. Some additional suggestions: • Always hold your dog’s leash with your weak hand. Keep your shooting hand ready. • I strongly recommend carrying a can of pepper spray for aggressive canines. It works incredibly well and is not permanent. Make sure it is police strength. • Practice drawing and obtaining a sight picture while holding your dog’s leash in your weak hand. • It’s easy to lose your situational awareness while picking up poo. Do it quickly while maintaining your SA. • Watch for additional threats, especially while retrieving poo. • Don’t focus solely on your dog while walking. Don’t zone out. • Don’t allow anyone you don’t know to pet your dog. Tell them your dog is not friendly and may bite. • Change your walking routes often. Do not have a standard route. • Look for threats while walking. Your dog can help with this. • Be concerned about your safety and security, and your dog’s. • Carry spare ammunition – it’s a must. I always carry the same guns and gear. The Second Amendment Foundation’s Investigative Journalism Project wouldn’t be possible without you. Click here to make a tax-deductible donation to support pro-gun stories like this.
Indiana Mom Shoots Child Predator to Save Her 12-Year-Old Daughter Mark Chesnut Most people are aware that the maternal instinct in women is so strong that many will do whatever it takes to protect their children from harm. Unfortunately for a convicted child molester in Indiana, he had to learn that lesson the hard way. According to reports at wlfa.com and wthr.com, the man, Bruce Pierce, tried to rape a 12-year-old girl at an Indianapolis hotel in late May. But before he could rip more than her tank top and underwear, the girl’s mother shot Pierce several times, sending him to the hospital with multiple bullet wounds and a sure lesson learned. Details are a little sketchy as to why the mother left her 12-year-old daughter in a hotel room with a convicted child sex offender. According to one report, the child’s grandmother told police the victim and her sister woke her up on May 24 when their mother didn’t come home. They went to the Baymont Inn to look for her and found the mother with Pierce in the hotel lobby. The 12-year-old girl, who was feeling sick, stayed in Pierce’s hotel room while the mother and the other daughter took items to the car. While they were loading the car, the girl said Pierce invited her to sit on the bed. At that time, court documents say she told police Pierce grabbed her arms, pinned them to the bed, and began ripping her clothes off. The victim was able to escape her attacker when her mother opened fire. According to reports, Pierce had a gun on or near him during the assault. Unlike the mother, he apparently wasn’t able to get off any shots during the melee. Court records show Pierce pleaded guilty to child molesting in two separate cases, in Hendricks and Morgan counties, in 2016. Pierce is charged with attempted rape, attempted child molestation, unlawful possession of a firearm and confinement, all felonies in the state Indiana. While anti-gun activists will tell you that normal Americans almost never use firearms to save themselves and their families from violent criminals, this incident reminds us once again that episodes of armed self-defense occur multiple times daily throughout the United States. While the gun-ban group Moms Demand Action works tirelessly to take away gun owners’ rights, this mom in Indiana went into action when her daughter faced imminent harm at the hands of a very bad guy.
Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun Crime Monday, July 7, 2025 U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of West Virginia HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Douglas Lee Brown, also known as “Wiggles,” 56, of Columbus, Ohio, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 18, 2024, law enforcement officers arrested Brown on domestic battery and wanton endangerment warrants in Huntington and found he possessed a loaded Taurus model G2C 9mm pistol in his waistband. Officers determined the firearm was reported stolen. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Brown knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for burglary in Franklin County, Ohio, Common Pleas Court on November 15, 2012. Brown has a long criminal history and was on a term of supervision as a result of the burglary conviction at the time of the current offense. Brown is scheduled to be sentenced on October 20, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Huntington Police Department. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Finney is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-168.
Charlotte Man Sentenced For Possession Of A Machinegun Wednesday, July 9, 2025 U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of North Carolina The Defendant Possessed a Firearm Affixed with a “Glock Switch” CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Joshua Michael Jenkins, 22, of Charlotte, was sentenced yesterday to 88 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for possession of a machinegun, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. According to court records, on October 30, 2022, a trooper with the North Carolina State Highway Patrol attempted to stop Jenkins for speeding on the interstate. Jenkins refused to stop and instead proceeded to drive at a high rate of speed, reaching speeds of 130 miles per hour. Court documents show that Jenkins exited the highway and ran a red light, where his vehicle collided with four other vehicles at an intersection. Jenkins then fled on foot and ran toward a shopping center. The state trooper ran after Jenkins and observed Jenkins holding a firearm in his hand, which he pointed at the trooper. Jenkins was eventually apprehended. According to court documents, law enforcement searched a trashcan in a parking lot nearby after a witness saw Jenkins drop something in it. Law enforcement recovered from the trashcan a Glock model 23, .40 caliber pistol, with an affixed machinegun conversion device, commonly referred to as a “Glock Switch.” During the investigation, law enforcement located multiple social media posts of Jenkins posing with firearms that appeared to be equipped with Glock switches, and a video showing muzzle flash and the sound of repeated firing of an automatic weapon. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the North Carolina Highway Patrol, the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department, and the Huntersville Police Department for their investigation of the case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) William Wiseman prosecuted the case. Mr. Wiseman is a state prosecutor with the office of the 26th Prosecutorial District and was assigned by District Attorney Spencer Merriweather to serve as a SAUSA with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte. Mr. Wiseman is sworn in both state and federal courts. The SAUSA position reflects the partnership between the District Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Former City of Raleigh Firefighter Pleads Guilty to Dark Web Drug Trafficking Scheme Thursday, July 10, 2025 Says FFL, Firearms Instructor and Gunsmith Gregg Kielma, this one hurts as a person who studied firefighting and is an instructor in First Aid Fundamentals, I'm extremely disappointed in this former firefighter. We are sworn to defend and assist our fellow citizens, not poison them with drugs. To say I'm hurt is an understatement. Nick betrayed the trust of everyone sworn to keep people safe. Kielma continues, Nick, I trust you'll pay the price. You made very bad choices that reflect on your department and the people you serve. Shame on you. U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of North Carolina Katie Holcomb Vollmer, Public Affairs Officer USANCE.PublicInfoOfficer@usdoj.gov RALEIGH, N.C. – A former City of Raleigh firefighter and his wife have pleaded guilty today to running a large-scale drug trafficking operation involving cocaine, methamphetamine, and other narcotics. Nicholas Banister, 36, and Amanda Banister, 36, admitted to using the dark web and cryptocurrency to distribute drugs across Eastern North Carolina. “The defendant, a Raleigh firefighter, served in a position of public trust, but was hiding in plain sight as he and his wife sold numerous types of illegal narcotics around businesses the community frequently visits,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar. “I’m proud of our federal and state partners at the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) and North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement (NC ALE) for their hard work, which is holding these individuals accountable and making our community safer.” “It is unfortunate to see someone we trust to help keep us protected involved in criminal activities that jeopardize public safety,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Alicia Jones. “ATF realizes the danger and violence associated with drug trafficking, and we’re proud to work with our local and state law enforcement partners to break up those networks and better protect our communities.” “A primary focus for ALE is reducing crime associated with alcohol establishments and protecting the safety of our communities. In this case, undercover ALE special agents conducted a comprehensive investigation that led to the arrest and conviction of two individuals — one of whom had taken an oath to protect others but instead chose to put lives at risk,” said Bryan House, Director of North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement. “We’re hopeful this case, along with our continued efforts, will have a positive impact on our state.” According to court documents and other information presented in court, Banister conspired with his wife to sell cocaine and methamphetamine on four occasions to an undercover law enforcement officer at the Morgan Street Food Hall in Raleigh. The NC ALE executed a search warrant at Banister's residence in Raleigh, where they found 1,324.43 grams of methamphetamine, 844 grams of cocaine, over 7 kilograms of marijuana, 382 grams of psilocybin mushrooms, Xanax and Ecstasy pills, 216 units of LSD, 15 grams of dimethyltryptamine (DMT), two firearms, a digital wallet used to store cryptocurrency and $213,810 in U.S. currency. Banister had been selling cocaine, methamphetamine, and LSD every other week for at least a year prior to his arrest. Banister purchased the narcotics from the dark web using cryptocurrency, had them shipped to North Carolina, and then sold them to various buyers, primarily in the Glenwood South area. Banister utilized the Snapchat application to advertise narcotics by providing a “menu” for buyers. Banister was employed with the City of Raleigh Fire Department at the time of the charged offenses. Both Banister and his wife face a mandatory minimum of 10 years' imprisonment when sentenced at a later date. Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after arraignment by U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert T. Numbers II. The NC ALE and the ATF investigated the case and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) Aria Q. Merle prosecuted the case. SAUSA Merle is a prosecutor with the Wake County District Attorney’s Office assigned to the United States Attorney’s Office to prosecute federal violent crimes and other criminal matters. A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-cr-00106-D.
TALLAHASSEE MAN SENTENCED FOR CARRYING A GLOCK SWITCH Thursday, July 3, 2025 Note from FFL, Instructor and Gunsmith Gregg Kielma. A Glock switch is illegal. Don't ask me for one. I don't sell them; dam it, they are illegal! Don't ask me. Should you do, you'll never be a customer of Tactical K Training and Firearms. Continues Kielma, we do everything by the book. You want to go to jail that's fine with me, you're not going to do it here. We respect and cherish our FFL and will never, ever do anything to lose our creditability with the ATF. U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Florida TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Jimmy Bender, 19, of Tallahassee, Florida was sentenced to 24 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to possessing a machinegun. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. According to court records, officers with the Tallahassee Police Department (TPD), Violent Crimes Response Team, were patrolling in the southeastern portion of Tallahassee due to complaints of criminal activity in the area. A TPD officer observed Bender commit a traffic violation and then stopped the vehicle. As the officers removed Bender from the vehicle, they discovered a Glock.40 caliber handgun with extended magazine. The handgun was also equipped with a machinegun conversion device, or “Glock switch,” which unlawfully enabled the firearm to shoot multiple rounds with a single trigger pull. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Thanks to the hard work of our brave state and federal law enforcement partners, our community can rest easy knowing this dangerous individual has been removed from our streets. Criminals considering carrying an illegally converted machinegun should know my office will aggressively prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law.” The conviction and sentence were the result of a joint investigation by the TPD Violent Crimes Response Team and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric Welch. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html. Contact United States Attorney’s Office Northern District of Florida USAFLN.Press.Office@usdoj.gov X: @NDFLnews
Daniel Driscoll ATF Leader PENSACOLA MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO POSSESSING UNREGISTERED MACHINEGUN Tuesday, July 8, 2025 U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Florida PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Prashant M. Jenkins Jr., 24, of Pensacola, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of possession of an unregistered machinegun. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. Court documents reflect that on October 30, 2024, law enforcement officers found and seized from Jenkins’ residence an AR-style machinegun conversion device, a Glock pistol with a loaded magazine, a loaded AR-15 magazine, approximately 500 grams of marijuana, and other suspected drug trafficking paraphernalia. The conversion device, which itself is considered a machinegun under federal law, was not marked with a serial number and was not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record as required. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I applaud the excellent work of the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and our federal ATF agents to make our community safer by getting this dangerous individual off the streets. My office remains fully committed to aggressively prosecuting those who illegally manufacture and possess these dangerous weapons, fulfilling the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America by targeting violent criminals with the full force of the law.” Sentencing is currently set for September 30, 2025, at 1 p.m. at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Judge M. Casey Rodgers. Jenkins faces up to 10 years’ imprisonment and will be prohibited from possessing any firearms or ammunition. The plea was the result of a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alicia H. Forbes. This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html. Contact United States Attorney’s Office Northern District of Florida USAFLN.Press.Office@usdoj.gov X: @NDFLnews
Chicago Man Convicted of Conspiring to Provide Material Support to ISIS A Chicago man was convicted today of conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) by using social media to encourage attacks on ISIS’s enemies and recruit new ISIS members. According to court documents, Ashraf Al Safoo, 41, was a leader of Khattab Media Foundation, a sophisticated online organization that swore allegiance to ISIS and created and disseminated threats and ISIS propaganda on social media and other online platforms. Al Safoo and other members of Khattab created and posted pro-ISIS videos, articles, essays, and infographics at the direction of, and in coordination with, ISIS. Much of Khattab’s propaganda promoted violent jihad on behalf of the terrorist group. In one posting, Al Safoo encouraged Khattab members to post pro-ISIS information “to cause confusion and spread terror within the hearts of those who disbelieved.” In another posting, Al Safoo wrote, “Work hard, brothers, edit the issue into short clips, take the pictures out of it and publish the efforts of your brothers in the pages of the apostates. Participate in the war, and spread terror, the [Islamic] State does not want you to watch it only, rather, it incites you, and if you are unable to, use it to incite others.” Many of Khattab’s postings included images of violence, celebrations of terrorist attacks and mass shootings in the United States, and encouragement for “lone wolf” attacks in western countries. Al Safoo was arrested in Chicago in 2018. After a bench trial in U.S. District Court in Chicago, U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey found Al Safoo guilty of one count of conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, one count of conspiracy to transmit threats in interstate commerce, one count of conspiracy to intentionally access a protected computer without authorization, four counts of intentionally accessing a protected computer without authorization, and four counts of providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization. The convictions carry a maximum penalty of 130 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 9. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant Attorney General John A. Eisenberg of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Andrew S. Boutros for the Northern District of Illinois, and Assistant Director Donald M. Holstead of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division made the announcement. The FBI Chicago Field Office is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melody Wells, Barry Jonas, and Thomas P. Peabody for the Northern District of Illinois, and Trial Attorney Andrew J. Dixon of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.
Multiple arrested as anti-ICE protesters clash with police, US troops in Los Angeles Please stay safe my friends and family say's FFL, First Aid Fundamentals and Gunsmith Gregg Kielma. Continues Kielma, this nonsense has to stop. If your illegal and or an illegal alien here in our country, you have to leave. Come back, get vetted, do the paperwork and do it the right way. If your illegal you have to leave, one way or the other. Do yourself a favor, just leave before your arrested. 'Most were peaceful, but once again, as the evening approached, outside agitators began to cause issues. Multiple people were arrested in Los Angeles on Friday as anti-ICE demonstrators clashed with law enforcement and the U.S. military after weeks of protests against deportations and ICE raids, police said. Los Angeles police said there were "multiple arrests today during several different demonstrations" downtown. "Most were peaceful, but once again, as the evening approached, outside agitators began to cause issues," the department wrote on X. Earlier in the night, police wrote that demonstrators were "confronting Federal Protective Security Personnel and National Guard members." "Less Lethal munitions have been deployed by Federal authorities," police wrote, adding that they may cause pain and discomfort. In response to the anti-ICE protests that began last month, the Trump administration deployed National Guard troops and Marines to Los Angeles, despite opposition from Gov. Gavin Newsom. Demonstrators met up for the protest on Friday at around 9:30 a.m. outside City Hall on Spring Street and took a 1.5-mile route through downtown, according to local outlet KCAL. Police said the group dispersed shortly after the incident commander authorized a dispersal order for the area on Friday night, according to a post at 7:17 p.m. local time. Officers from the Department of Homeland Security had declared the protest an unlawful assembly, independent journalist Anthony Cabassa wrote on X, adding that Marines and federal agents were using riot gear while ordering the crowd to disperse.
