(KRON) — A Richmond man was arrested after a search of his home uncovered nearly a dozen military-style machine guns, 60 assault rifles and approximately 1 million rounds of ammunition, among other weapons and explosives, California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced Thursday.
The suspect is alleged to be legally prohibited from owning any weapons.
The discovery of the large cache of suspected illegal firearms occurred on Jan. 31.
Multiple agencies, including the California Department of Justice’s Bureau of Firearms and Contra Costa Anti-Violence Support Effort, served a search warrant at the Richmond residence in an effort to “retrieve guns from a prohibited individual,” the attorney general’s office said.
Through a search of the residence, the AG’s office said DOJ agents seized:
11 military-style machine guns 60 assault rifles 37 rifles 7 shotguns 133 handguns Several suspected grenades 20 silencers 4 flare guns 3,000 large-capacity magazines Approximately 1 million rounds of various caliber ammunition Dozens of rifle receivers and pistol frames
Upon locating the grenades, the Walnut Creek Police Department Bomb Squad and Travis Air Force Base Bomb Squad were called to respond. The grenades were found to be inert, the AG’s office said.
“This arrest demonstrates exactly why the Armed and Prohibited Persons System is vital for the safety of our communities,” said Bonta. The Armed and Prohibited Persons System identifies individuals who had lawfully procured firearms and then later became prohibited from owning or possessing them.
“I am grateful for our Bureau of Firearms agents’ and local law enforcement partners’ work in getting these illegal weapons out of the hands of this prohibited individual,” Bonta said.
The man’s identity and the location of his residence in Richmond were not shared by the attorney general’s office.
Given the age of what I see in the pics and video it looks like this guy was just a very effective collector (though no telling why he's a prohibited person). If only prosecuting attorneys in California were this serious about real crime...
Posts: 942 | Location: The only state with a state bird named after another state. | Registered: December 11, 2009
Richmond CA not VA its in the North East side of the San Francisco Bay, close to Berkley, someone found out and ratted him out,
Armed and Prohibited Persons System is vital for the safety of our communities, sure would like to know why he was prohibited, like was said he wasn't committing any crimes with them.
Posts: 24828 | Location: Gunshine State | Registered: November 07, 2008
I had incorrectly assumed the California liberty haters were after him over something that happened while he lived in CA that followed him to the Old Dominion.
It sounds like Richmond CA is a lot like Richmond VA….
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The price of liberty and even of common humanity is eternal vigilance
Posts: 21263 | Location: San Dimas CA, The Old Dominion or the Tar Heel State. | Registered: April 16, 2007
Let's assume for the moment machine guns actually means machine guns. How on earth would he have obtained them? Pre 86? So he's had them unregistered since then? on the black market? The whole thing smells a little odd.
“So in war, the way is to avoid what is strong, and strike at what is weak.”
I'm sure the guy was a harmless collector, but how stupid do you have to be to keep all that in California? It was only a matter of time before they went to the great smelter in the sky.
Posts: 3688 | Location: Nashville | Registered: July 23, 2012
"My friend is a local FFL that does contract work for the Police Department and Sheriff's Department where this happened and he gave me some background to this case a few days ago. The man who this stuff belonged to is in his 90s and a relative of his had to obtain legal guardianship over the man because he is suffering from advanced dementia which is why he is no longer legally allowed to possess firearms. The man has not lived in the house where his collection was stored for the better part of 6 years because he's living in a nursing home. The majority of the firearms have been owned for more than 40 years well before they were ever regulated in California and the man has possessed a special federal firearms license called a Curios and Relic license for the better part of 60 years that allowed him under California law to possess machine guns.
The actual machine guns that were in the man's possession are ones that are legally owned and are registered with the NFA and the tax has been paid on them. The authorities have been well aware of what was in his possession because he registered them with the state when they required it. They're simply pretending like this man is a criminal once they found out he was no longer mentally fit to possess the firearms and gleefully seized his collection."
Posts: 913 | Location: Texas | Registered: January 05, 2009
