Adrian gun dealer with ties to Hutaree faces federal indictment
An Adrian firearms dealer linked to the Hutaree militia case has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Detroit, the Detroit News is reporting.
Walter L. Priest, 52, is charged with possessing a rifle with an obliterated serial number in an indictment handed down Tuesday and filed today in U.S. District Court in Detroit, the News reported. It's a five-year felony.
AnnArbor.com reported last week that Priest, who was subject to a 2008 gun records check that upset Hutaree members, was under investigation by the ATF.
Priest is the father of 25-year-old Walter Jason Priest, who has a previous explosives conviction and was sentenced to federal prison last month for possessing a firearm while being a convicted felon, court records show.
The Dec. 8, 2008 gun check by two ATF inspectors launched the investigation into Hutaree, a Christian-oriented militia group prosecutors say is an anti-government extremist organization.
Nine Hutaree members remain in custody after being indicted on charges that accuse them of conspiring to levy war against the United States. Among other allegations, the indictment says members discussed killing a law enforcement officer, then attacking officers at the funeral with improvised explosive devices.
Walter Priest told AnnArbor.com last week that he wasn't aware the ATF was investigating him. Priest said ATF inspectors visited his shop, Gun Outfitters, LLC, on Dec. 8, 2008. He also said ATF agents executed a search warrant there in February 2009, removing "a couple" AR-15s that were returned months later. He runs the shop out of his Adrian home.
The ATF investigation of the Priests and the FBI investigation of the Hutaree were independent investigations that intersected in Adrian, the Detroit News story said.
Comments
Peter
Fri, Aug 27, 2010 : 10:59 a.m.
How do you charge someone for selling a gun that does not exist? Answer, Rely on the ignorance of the general population. Thank you public schools.
Peter
Fri, Aug 27, 2010 : 10:30 a.m.
He is charged with a selling a gun that DOES NOT EXIST. This is nothing but harassment because they have no case. There is not and never was a Remington Model 700 in.12 caliber. Read the indictment. http://www.scribd.com/doc/30341832/Walter-L-Priest-Indictment Do some research,
djm12652
Fri, May 21, 2010 : 12:52 p.m.
This guy is a FFL holder? The regulation manual is huge, the laws are exact, so he knew the rules...but then again if his son [a convicted felon] was recently sent to the fed pen for having a weapon in his possession, I guess it stands to reason the apple didn't fall far from the tree.
Anonymous Due to Bigotry
Wed, Apr 21, 2010 : 3:45 p.m.
I wouldn't be surprised if he weren't doing more than that, but filed-off serial numbers were probably the easiest thing to get him on.