Former BCSO sheriff, undersheriff named in cross-country machine gun scheme

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Former BCSO sheriff, undersheriff named in cross-country machine gun scheme

Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Oct 26, 2023 Updated 11 min ago

Former BCSO sheriff, undersheriff named in cross-country machine gun scheme | News | abqjournal.com

Former Bernalillo County Sheriff Manuel Gonzales and Undersheriff Rudy Mora are named — but not charged — in an alleged scheme to illegally acquire machine guns for firearms dealers and gun enthusiasts in Albuquerque and elsewhere.

James Christopher Tafoya, the owner of the now-shuttered JCT Firearms in Albuquerque, is charged with conspiracy to violate federal gun laws, unlawful importation of a firearm and making false statements in firearms records in the case.

Federal authorities say Gonzales and Mora, who was chief of Laguna Pueblo police at the time, submitted more than 100 letters to Tafoya, asking for the import of automatic weapons for a demonstration, in case BCSO or Laguna police wanted to purchase them.
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Former New Mexico law enforcement leaders mentioned in federal indictment for machine gun conspiracy

KOAT logo Updated: 10:17 PM MDT Oct 26, 2023
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John Cardinale
Reporter

Former New Mexico leaders cited in indictment on machine guns
A federal indictment filed by Maryland's U.S. Attorney was recently unsealed and puts New Mexico in the middle of a firearms conspiracy.

“This is a remarkable situation when you have at least two police chiefs or heads of agencies in New Mexico who are connected to what looks like a national conspiracy to, you know, falsely obtain fully automatic weapons,” KOAT Legal Expert John Day said.
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US v. Vickers: Larry Vickers Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Illegally Acquire Machine Guns
By TTAG Contributor - October 22, 2023125
By Lee Williams

Special operations combat veteran, firearms industry consultant, tactical instructor and YouTube personality with more than a million loyal followers, Larry Allen Vickers, pleaded guilty last week to a multi-count federal indictment that accused him of conspiring to illegally import and obtain machineguns and other restricted firearms, and conspiring to violate U.S. sanctions against a Russian arms manufacturer.
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US v. Vickers: Larry Vickers Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Illegally Acquire Machine Guns - The Truth About Guns
 
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JCT Firearms had been in the local news for the last couple of years. What I remember was that they had a break in and large number go firearms went missing. A number of them were recovered. Then they were in the news again because a number of firearms used in local crimes were being traced back to them. And, finally they were in the news because store employees were selling off the books.

They were/are a top 100 seller on GB and used to have multiple sales pages. For the last couple of months, they stopped selling firearms and are just selling mags and misc stuff. Hmmmm...

You all think they may have been on somebody's radar?
 
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Given that the same tactic of dubious sheriff's letters appear in both stories, I think:

1) LE is about to find that privilege has gone away (ATF dictat);

2) Some industrial level shredding is about to start from coast to coast.
 
I purchased exactly one firearm from JCT Arms. They seemed a bit sketchy, so I never went back. I notice that their store front location now has a marijuana dispensary.
 
Well, that's a stunning display of hubris. Guy had it made and then went too far and blew his life up.

So what's he going to get? Not 25. I figure...8 years.
 
I have to laugh - Manny Gonzales was a crusader against cameras in BCSO cars; it finally took the county commission to force him into installation and use. Maybe 'ole Manny is allergic to transparency for real reasons! :)

Those cameras are an honest officer's best support; the unethical don't want anyone to see and hear what happened unfiltered.
 
New Mexico in general, and Albuquerque in particular, have a long history of graft, corruption, political patronage, and occasional violence in securing the positions and achieving the goals of a select few. Perhaps no more than some other states, but perhaps more so; a difficult job of measurement.

One of the poorest states in the country, relatively low cost of living (outside major cities and tourist destinations), historically high rates of unemployment, substance abuse, and welfare dependency. Also rich in culture and history, recreational opportunities, natural resources.

A big helping of human nature, I suppose.
 
So; I'm currently working in Somalia. I've seen a number of parallels here between essentially tribal ('clan-based' in Somalia) political behaviors that I recognize from 44 years in high-poverty, old-school New Mexico. I've met several clones of (formerly, finally & justifiably imprisoned) NM Senate President Pro Tem Manny Aragon in Mogadishu and Beledweyne.

The human animal doesn't vary as much as we'd like to think.
 
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