Easthampton man's so poor, he loses 21 guns

[Ricky]

21 guns, a slew of charges for Easthampton man

By OWEN BOSS
Staff Writer

Friday, June 26, 2009

EASTHAMPTON - A Chestnut Street man was arraigned on multiple gun charges Thursday after police say they found 21 unregistered guns in his house.

Jeffrey S. Parrish, 46, of 18 Chestnut St., pleaded innocent Thursday in Northampton District Court to 19 counts of possessing a firearm without a firearms identification card and two counts of possessing unregistered large-capacity firearms.

According to court documents, on May 22, Parrish's wife went to the Public Safety Complex and told Officer Robert J. Pouska that she was returning from receiving a restraining order against her husband and wanted a police escort to gather some of her belongings. She also told Pouska that her husband had two safes in the house containing many unlicensed guns.

At the home, according to police reports, she led the officers to a back bedroom and opened a closet containing two large gun safes. The first safe, which was a large steel gun safe with a combination lock, was left open, and police found many weapons and a variety of ammunition. The second safe, which was homemade and needed a key to open, was transported to the station to be opened and inventoried.

In the second safe, among other weapons, police reportedly found a .30 caliber US M-1 semi-automatic carbine rifle and a Taurus 9 mm handgun, both of which are considered large-capacity firearms and carry a more severe punishment for unregistered possession.

According to the state's Executive Office of Public Safety's Web site, possessing an unregistered large-capacity firearm is a felony, and conviction can result in up to two years in prison.

At the station, police said Parrish was issued his wife's restraining order and was told his weapons would remain seized. He reportedly told police he had been living in Massachusetts for three years and never had the $100 to apply for his firearms identification card.

Judge Richard J. Carey released Parrish on his own recognizance. He is scheduled to reappear in court on July 24.

Owen Boss can be reached at [email protected].

This story can be found at: http://www.gazettenet.com/story/237459

 

[weekendracer]

A M1 is a 'large capacity' firearm? It holds 5 rounds right?

Seems he should have sold one of the guns to get the license.


Don't flame me about the idea, I sure as hell didn't vote any of these people into power.

 

[Herrminator]

hmmm a law abiding cititzen with unregistered firearms...this is news to me

 

[OnTheRoad]

A M1 is a 'large capacity' firearm? It holds 5 rounds right?

The Garand holds 8 rounds, the carbine (which apparently is what this guy had) has detachable mags and is large capacity.

That said, hell hath no fury...

 

[BruceW]

just so im clear, unregistered means he didnt fill out a fa-10 form correct?

 

[tj western ma]

wow this guy hit the unlucky lottery.

 

[Wildweasel]

So as most of the replies on the legal forum say you don't need to register your guns when you move into the state.
I would say it is a case of pig pile charging to see what sticks.
The no LTC will stick, and maybe a storage charge, (the open safe) As for the two counts of unregistered Large caps is that a separate part of the awb? I don't remember it being in there.

 

[Underwhere]

MA laws turning would be legal gun owners into criminals

 

[FiremanBob]

When incorporation of an Originalist reading of the Second Amendment is finally decided by SCOTUS, will he get his guns back?

 

[maee]

Is the media really this stupid? What is an "unlicensed gun" and how does a gun apply for a license anyway? And since this guy didnt have an LTC, it seems he moved here with these guns. Thus, why would he need to register them via FA-10?

 

[center442]

Is the media really this stupid?

Yes!

What is an "unlicensed gun" and how does a gun apply for a license anyway?

I keep telling my guns they should go down to the police station and get a license, but they keep telling me it's too far to walk.

And since this guy didnt have an LTC, it seems he moved here with these guns. Thus, why would he need to register them via FA-10?

You're correct, he doesn't. What he needed to do was get licensed, and he would have been fine; well, except for the restraining order part....

 

[Ish]

No comment, oh wait!!......... no, no comment because it isn't even worthy.

Ish.

 

[depicts]

I hope if there is any other fool in this situation, without the 100 bucks to get his FID, they will post here on NES. I'm sure several of us would be willing to front one hundred dollars as a loan on an M1 carbine.

 

[HooVooLoo]

The second safe, which was homemade and needed a key to open, was transported to the station to be opened and inventoried.

Violation of the fourth amendment?


According to the state's Executive Office of Public Safety's Web site, possessing an unregistered large-capacity firearm is a felony, and conviction can result in up to two years in prison.


But, he wasn't in possession of them. They were only in "storage".


J/K, I know, I know.

 

[TomH]

He wouldn't need to register them, it's a bunch of bull. He didn't have an LTC within a certain time from, that is the crime. And possibly post-ban magazines.

 

[TomH]

I hope if there is any other fool in this situation, without the 100 bucks to get his FID, they will post here on NES. I'm sure several of us would be willing to front one hundred dollars as a loan on an M1 carbine.

You would loan $100 to someone you didn't know because he was so "poor" that he couldn't get an LTC to legally own 21 firearms? No offense but you're crazy! He was sitting on a fortune. He could have sold a bit of ammo even to get $100. But I understand what you're saying, he's a victim of MA gun laws (oppression) just like everyone else in MA. It still amazes me that in that state this man is a criminal, and in NH he would be a respectable citizen.

 

[M1911]

A M1 is a 'large capacity' firearm? It holds 5 rounds right?

The story, if it is correct, said an M1 Carbine. The original magazine for the M1 Carbine holds 15 rounds, but 30 round magazines were made as well. The M1 Carbine is a large capacity rifle. By MA legal definition, the word "firearm" effectively means handgun.

The M1 Rifle has an 8 round en-bloc clip.

I don't know where you got the idea that either the M1 Carbine or M1 Rifle holds just 5 rounds.

 

[weekendracer]

The story, if it is correct, said an M1 Carbine. The original magazine for the M1 Carbine holds 15 rounds, but 30 round magazines were made as well. The M1 Carbine is a large capacity rifle. By MA legal definition, the word "firearm" effectively means handgun.

The M1 Rifle has an 8 round en-bloc clip.

I don't know where you got the idea that either the M1 Carbine or M1 Rifle holds just 5 rounds.

I've never actually handled a true M1, I'll admit to 'movie zombie' status on this one. After reading the first response, I thought back and realized I've only ever seen someone loading a M1 in war movies.

I did go shooting yesterday between breaks in the rain (no breaks in the mosquitos though as my arms will attest to), so I hope that will undo this dummy moment.

 

[noelephant]

The $100 license to poses firearms is garbage and it is my guess that if it gets seriously challenged on 2A grounds it will not be upheld.

I know quite a few otherwise upstanding citizens in MA that posses firearms and refuse to get a license for them. I consider it civil disobedience.

I have advised them to get a license, but that is there call and I respect it.

 

[Seamsealer]

Restraining order, that is the magic words. If one party gets a restraining order, the guns are taken, even if you have a license. That's the law from what I have heard.

 

[lupis42]

Restraining order, that is the magic words. If one party gets a restraining order, the guns are taken, even if you have a license. That's the law from what I have heard.

Does the state to pay you market value for the guns they steal? Do you at least have the option of selling them off yourself, or putting them on consignment at the gun shop of your choice?

 

[JonJ]

Does the state to pay you market value for the guns they steal? Do you at least have the option of selling them off yourself, or putting them on consignment at the gun shop of your choice?

The guns are not "stolen". They are surrendered by the defendant per the law that was passed and signed by legislators voted into office by "We the people".
The defendant has the right to transfer the firearms to a licensed dealer.

 

[buketduder]

I know in CT you can let someone hold the guns for you in the event of a restraining order.....in mass can you do that?...

 

[JonJ]

I know in CT you can let someone hold the guns for you in the event of a restraining order.....in mass can you do that?...

No. The defendant can transfer to a licensed dealer only.

 

[Prepper]

No. The defendant can transfer to a licensed dealer only.

What if they are "transferred" before the restraining order? (i.e. he sees it coming and dumps all his guns at his friend's house) Actually, "transfer" may be a bad word since that implies having to fill out FA-10s, and you can't do that many with an individual. How about just keeping the guns at a friend's house, perhaps even an out of state friend, until the situation blows over and he can legally get them again? What would they do, make him go to friend's house to retrieve them all and then turn them in?

 

[JonJ]

What if they are "transferred" before the restraining order? (i.e. he sees it coming and dumps all his guns at his friend's house) Actually, "transfer" may be a bad word since that implies having to fill out FA-10s, and you can't do that many with an individual. How about just keeping the guns at a friend's house, perhaps even an out of state friend, until the situation blows over and he can legally get them again? What would they do, make him go to friend's house to retrieve them all and then turn them in?

If he legally transfers the firearms (FA-10s) to someone other than a dealer BEFORE the order is issued, no problem.
Giving the firearms to someone to "hold", no good. Out of state? I haven't heard of anyone going after them but I wouldn't be surprised if it's happened or been attempted. In state? Yes, they will go after them. This is after the order is issued.

The law (MGL Chp 209A S 3B) states in part:

order the immediate suspension and surrender of any license to carry firearms and or firearms identification card which the defendant may hold and order the defendant to surrender all firearms, rifles, shotguns, machine guns and ammunition which he then controls, owns or possesses in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and any license to carry firearms or firearms identification cards which the defendant may hold shall be surrendered to the appropriate law enforcement officials

 

[bolt]

I just read the first few posts but I'd reiterate "Hell hath no fury.. I hope he shows up with a 20somethin' hottie next time he meets with the X-Be0tch. Keep 'em at arms length and out of your pocket ! FLAME SUIT ON! wheres the smirk smilie ? Just sayin..

 

[cekim]

Guy is an idiot, but the sentence he is going to get for his "regulatory" infraction is "cruel and unusual punishment" in my book...

The Sheeple, not just in this state but everywhere in the US have totally forgotten about the concept of innocent until proven guilty. The idea that even when it hurts we cannot convict people of what they "might" do is totally lost...

We joke about "pre-crime" in the future, but its here with us now in all of our gun laws and many of our drug laws...

Sure, there's a law saying you cannot posses "with intent to distribute", but the bottom line is that this law is a "pre-crime" law - it is criminalizing behavior that the sheeple are convinced has a high likely-hood of leading to crime...

 

[Len-2A Training]

Out of state? I haven't heard of anyone going after them but I wouldn't be surprised if it's happened or been attempted. In state? Yes, they will go after them. This is after the order is issued.

Jon, I remember reading of one case where the person had firearms in NH. Don't recall if it was a storage unit or a friend's house, but MA had the NH PD go in and confiscate the guns for the MA PD.

So I would expect nothing less if (let's say) a person had a second home in NH or FL . . . or stored them off-season with a friend/family member.

 

[Lignum Vitea]

Wow, one unexpected discouraging result of just joining this forum. I'm learning that my state is even more screwed up than I ever imagined. Can't believe this crap is happening out there. Montana anyone?