Jerk with record who stole machine guns at Valley Forge show is nailed

[Louis of PA]

Let's see how long a sentence he gets, and how long he serves.
Regards

From The Pottstown, PA Mercury:


Man who allegedly stole guns during KOP show charged


Monday, April 27, 2009
By Keith Phucas, Journal Register News Service

PHILADELPHIA — A Yeadon man was indicted Tuesday for allegedly trying to sell firearms stolen from a weapons dealer following a gun show in King of Prussia last year.

Leon Booker, 31, was allegedly caught selling five machine guns and another firearm that had been taken from a licensed firearms dealer’s truck as he ate dinner after the Dec. 21 show at the Valley Forge Convention Center. A total of 26 guns were reported stolen from the dealer that Sunday.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the defendant is charged with one count of illegally dealing in firearms without a license, three counts of possessing and trafficking stolen firearms, three counts of possessing a machine gun and three counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

In early January, Booker allegedly told an unnamed person known to a grand jury, that he bought the “lot” of weapons at the Valley Forge gun show for $8,000, according to federal authorities. He told the person he was offering all of the guns, and silencers, for sale.

Around the same time period, Booker reportedly drove to a Philadelphia club to sell two stolen International Armament Madsen 9 mm machine guns, Model 1950, that were hidden in his truck.

Booker went into the club to meet with the prospective buyer and allegedly agreed to sell the two machine guns for $6,500, prosecutors said. Later that same night, a buyer allegedly paid the asking price for the two firearms.

Several days later, Booker allegedly drove to the same buyers' workplace and delivered a fully automatic, Hungarian, 7.62-caliber machine gun and a semiautomatic Telko Rifle, and the seller agreed to be paid at a later date.

Eventually weeks later, he offered to sell firearms to the same buyer and an undercover Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) agent, who was posing as a pawnbroker, in the Philadelphia club’s parking lot, according to federal authorities.

The defendant took a $1,000 cash deposit on two “fully automatic” guns he was offering for $8,500, according to prosecutors. Days later, the undercover ATF agent again met with Booker and allegedly paid him an additional $1,500 for the weapons he picked up days earlier, officials said.

During a third meeting, the ATF agent allegedly paid the defendant $4,200 in cash, the remaining balance owed for the stolen merchandise.

At the time the Yeadon man sold the weapons, he told the buyer they were stolen, officials said. Booker’s previous criminal record prohibited him from legally owning a gun, officials said.

If convicted, Booker faces a maximum sentence of 100 years in prison and a $2.5 million fine.

The case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms in conjunction with the Upper Merion Township Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Abrams.

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[M1Riflenut]

I thought we had gun laws to prevent this sort of thing. Guess we need more.

[Bill Hollinger]

Great news!!!

[phil441]

I thought we had gun laws to prevent this sort of thing. Guess we need more.

We don't need more......just true enforcement of the ones we already have.

The original dealer at the show made it too easy for the jerk.
You just can't haul this sort of stuff in a standard run-of-the-mill truck anymore. Those good old days are over.

[limazulu]

The way things are, he'll probably get 5 years and serve 3.

[BruceV]

I wonder what sort of hoops the legitimate owner of these firearms will have to jump through in order to recover his property? Sincerely. Bruce.

[John Sukey (Deceased)]

The way things are, he'll probably get 5 years and serve 3.

Nope just one stolen automatic weapon is good for TEN YEARS and he stole more than one. He has free room and board until he dies.

[JB White]

In regard to an earlier post, laws don't stop crime. They never have. Enforcement of the laws and the penalties for violations only serve as a deterrent. In this case the law is being enforced and hopefully justice will be served. I can't see a conservative nor a liberal judge & jury letting him off easy on this one. Guys like this one tick off people on both sides of the spectrum.

[limazulu]

Nope just one stolen automatic weapon is good for TEN YEARS and he stole more than one. He has free room and board until he dies.

In Massachusetts a career criminal with a sawed off shotgun served 18 months of the mandatory sentence. (Don't ask me to dig out the article).

In response to another poster. Whois to say it will come before a Judge and Jury? Who is to say it won't be plea bargained?

[Neal Myers]

This is the type of crime that the Dept of Justice just loves to prosecute; it is high visibility & fits in with their "tough on crime" image. Not to mention, the liberals LOVE to prosecute gun criminals.

The fellas with the bulges in the cheap suits dragged the investigation out in order to maximize their merit pay bonuses; they COULD have nailed this guy from day 1 on a charge of "felon in possession", but they went for the gold ring.

My prediction: concurrent sentences on each type of charge, for a total of 20 years, large fine that won't be paid. And, there is no parole or early release under the federal prison system. Look for a new resident in Florence, CO, supermax.