jurisglock
05-16-2007, 11:51
Three arrested in raid on Jefferson gun store (http://blog.nola.com/times-picayune/2007/05/east_jefferson_bureau_federal.html)
Posted by The Times-Picayune May 16, 2007 10:45AM
Categories: Breaking News
By Michelle Hunter
East Jefferson bureau
Federal agents this morning raided Elliot's Small Arms in Old Jefferson, one of the busiest gun dealers in Louisiana, confiscating all its firearms, ammunition and business records and seizing the property.
"This store will never operate again," said Robert Browning, assistant special agent in charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Louisiana.
The store owner, Hermann Eicke, 65, was arrested at his home in Kenner, authorities said. Two employees, Timothy Harris Sr., 54, and Rebecca Zitzman, 42, were arrested out of state.
Authorities said the raid marked the culmination of a 15-month investigation by ATF and the Secret Service. The Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office also was on the scene of the store at 3008 Jefferson Highway at Causeway Boulevard.
The charges against the store workers involve a mix of firearms violations and identify theft related to police purchases of guns.
Police officers receive a manufacturer's discount when buying guns. Yet the store was not only getting manufacturer discounts to sell to police but also using the police customer credentials to buy extra firearms at wholesale for its regular stock, then selling those guns at regular prices to the general public, federal authorities said.
Zitzman was booked with filing false federal arms records. Eicke and Harris were booked with aggravated identity theft and misuse of law enforcement credentials.
Michelle Hunter can be reached at mhunter@timespicayune.com or (504) 883-7054.
Posted by The Times-Picayune May 16, 2007 10:45AM
Categories: Breaking News
By Michelle Hunter
East Jefferson bureau
Federal agents this morning raided Elliot's Small Arms in Old Jefferson, one of the busiest gun dealers in Louisiana, confiscating all its firearms, ammunition and business records and seizing the property.
"This store will never operate again," said Robert Browning, assistant special agent in charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Louisiana.
The store owner, Hermann Eicke, 65, was arrested at his home in Kenner, authorities said. Two employees, Timothy Harris Sr., 54, and Rebecca Zitzman, 42, were arrested out of state.
Authorities said the raid marked the culmination of a 15-month investigation by ATF and the Secret Service. The Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office also was on the scene of the store at 3008 Jefferson Highway at Causeway Boulevard.
The charges against the store workers involve a mix of firearms violations and identify theft related to police purchases of guns.
Police officers receive a manufacturer's discount when buying guns. Yet the store was not only getting manufacturer discounts to sell to police but also using the police customer credentials to buy extra firearms at wholesale for its regular stock, then selling those guns at regular prices to the general public, federal authorities said.
Zitzman was booked with filing false federal arms records. Eicke and Harris were booked with aggravated identity theft and misuse of law enforcement credentials.
Michelle Hunter can be reached at mhunter@timespicayune.com or (504) 883-7054.