Mass. man charged with illegally building rifles

[Wendell]

A Massachusetts man facing weapons charges for allegedly building AR-15 assault-style rifles in his basement and attempting to sell them in New Hampshire has struck a plea agreement with prosecutors. Raymond Blackmer III, 52, of Easthampton, Mass., pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Blackmer had been convicted of felonies in Massachusetts, including “open and gross lewdness” in May 2008, and for “lewd behavior” in April 2008. He also had a 1988 conviction for rape of a child, the affidavit says. The felony convictions barred him from owning a firearm. On Nov. 6, investigators received information that Blackmer was heading to New Hampshire to sell one of the rifles. Investigators arrested Blackmer on Nov. 6 after he was pulled over on Route 10 in Winchester. Two homemade AR-15 style-rifles were in the trunk of his car at the time of his arrest, according to an affidavit. Blackmer will be sentenced on Nov. 22 in U.S. District Court.
http://www.unionleader.com/article/20160811/NEWS03/160819921/1006/news03

 

[mac1911]

Ok so the caught a felon braking the law....

I for one don't believe in the ban for life for a felony do your time and your full rights should be restored....am,I wrong with that.

 

[Peicemaker]

Ugh. This guy is a grade A scumbag who is rightfully in jail. The only problem is the circumstance of his latest arrest. This is going to be used against us.

 

[Drix]

Was he making his own receivers? Did he actually sell them? This guy is a skumbag, but I'm not clear if he broke the laws listed.

 

[Varmint]

Let's see this guy was:
convicted of 1st degree murder and sexual assault (in Colorado)
convicted of child rape (2 counts)
convicted of lewdness

Why is this guy not in jail? Oh right, he's a Democrat. You guys, with your long guns, you're the real felons.

 

[SS1]

Also proves no matter how many laws they pass, Criminals do not follow the law..

 

[Rob Boudrie]

Was he making his own receivers? Did he actually sell them? This guy is a skumbag, but I'm not clear if he broke the laws listed.

It smells like the 80% lower deal - it referred to ordering parts online and finishing them off with a milling machine.

 

[kevin9]

The informant also told investigators about a “milling machine” that Blackmer had in his basement that he was using to complete the rifles,” according to the affidavit.

There goes the 80% lower market.

 

[TLB]

There goes the 80% lower market.

How so? The ATF has defined it as not being a receiver. If the AG ever went super full retard, buy them or obtain a shipping address in NH.

Is this a dupe, sounds familiar?

ETA: This is the plea deal story. His arrest was in another thread.

 

[Glockster30]

Ok so the caught a felon braking the law....

I for one don't believe in the ban for life for a felony do your time and your full rights should be restored....am,I wrong with that.

I think so in this case. Convicted for child rape in 1988...bastard should have been deceased 28 years ago while sitting in a jail cell.

 

[Varmint]

I think so in this case. Convicted for child rape in 1988...bastard should have been deceased 28 years ago while sitting in a jail cell.

He was convicted of murder, just got off after conviction due to a juror issue.

Just another fine example of our justice system at work. We should be focusing on putting murderers and rapists in jail, instead of law abiding adherents to the constitution.

 

[kevin9]

How so? The ATF has defined it as not being a receiver. If the AG ever went super full retard, buy them or obtain a shipping address in NH.

It was a half-facetious comment, but only half. Healey doesn't care what the ATF says. I can think of a few ways that the AG could blackmail 80% lower vendors into not shipping into MA. If so, going through another state might still work but it adds pain to the process, which is what MA AGs look for.

 

[92G]

for nonviolent felonies, 2A rights should be restored after like 5 or 10 years. unfortunately this will never happen. once .gov gets rights taken away, they almost never come back.

 

[mac1911]

I think so in this case. Convicted for child rape in 1988...bastard should have been deceased 28 years ago while sitting in a jail cell.

I won't disagree time was not long enough....

 

[ridleyman]

child rape? he should be 6 feet under, not repeat offending, like what seems to happen a lot in MA

 

[jaypap]

TV 22 WWLP reported this and said they are going to show how easy it is to build one of these rifles.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

He was convicted of murder, just got off after conviction due to a juror issue.

Just another fine example of our justice system at work. We should be focusing on putting murderers and rapists in jail, instead of law abiding adherents to the constitution.

Are you saying that someone who is convicted should not have that conviction reversed because of juror issues? Does this fall into the "obviously guilty to due process not really required zone"?

for nonviolent felonies, 2A rights should be restored after like 5 or 10 years. unfortunately this will never happen. once .gov gets rights taken away, they almost never come back.

Yup. "Felons should never have guns" has been so normalized that nobody who matters even argues the issue any more. There use to be a federal "relief from disabilities" application, but congress banned funding it. I know one person who is a gun owner because he has one of these relief documents (his crime was financial, non violent).

 

[Spanz]

we often hear the complaint that they do not prosecute criminals using the existing gun laws. Well....here is an existing gun law....a felon can not have a gun or ammo in their possession. He had two guns. I say throw the book at him. it is simple math

 

[TLB]

TV 22 WWLP reported this and said they are going to show how easy it is to build one of these rifles.

Maybe they can follow up with the pourable molds, 3D printers and then the shovel method. Eventually, they may realize can't stop these from existing. Afterwards, they could do a segment on what unjust laws do the fabric of a society. Once you are a potential felon, who cares cares about other BS charges. Then, the non compliance rate for gun bans. At least it might scare the sheep.

 

[DevilDad]

A Massachusetts man facing weapons charges for allegedly building AR-15 assault-style rifles in his basement and attempting to sell them in New Hampshire has struck a plea agreement with prosecutors. Raymond Blackmer III, 52, of Easthampton, Mass., pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Blackmer had been convicted of felonies in Massachusetts, including “open and gross lewdness” in May 2008, and for “lewd behavior” in April 2008. He also had a 1988 conviction for rape of a child, the affidavit says. The felony convictions barred him from owning a firearm. On Nov. 6, investigators received information that Blackmer was heading to New Hampshire to sell one of the rifles. Investigators arrested Blackmer on Nov. 6 after he was pulled over on Route 10 in Winchester. Two homemade AR-15 style-rifles were in the trunk of his car at the time of his arrest, according to an affidavit. Blackmer will be sentenced on Nov. 22 in U.S. District Court. http://www.unionleader.com/article/20160811/NEWS03/160819921/1006/news03

We need to keep hitting the AGO with the difference between a real criminal and a law abiding gun owner. Please, do your part to not let the left use this against us. ... Yeah I know. Easy to say, hard to do. ... but we have to try.

 

[Horrible]

Also proves no matter how many laws they pass, Criminals do not follow the law..

Yup. But the lawrs they pass aren't intended to stop the criminals. This is simply yet another in a long line of examples of this.

 

[Wrench75]

for nonviolent felonies, 2A rights should be restored after like 5 or 10 years. unfortunately this will never happen. once .gov gets rights taken away, they almost never come back.

Some states do have mechanisms in place to restore your firearms rights after a felony. You have to have completed any sentence and parole/probation first. Then depending on what the charge was you may be able to have your case reviewed and right restored.

http://thelawdictionary.org/article/how-can-a-convicted-felon-receive-firearm-rights/

How It Works

Many states and agencies have an existing form for felons to apply to have their civil rights restored. Generally speaking, these forms will only be accepted if the person can prove that their life has changed and that they are reformed. The person may be required to show proof such as a steady job and ties to the community, and they may need to wait a significant amount of time before being allowed to apply. The process involves finding this form and filing it with the appropriate authorities.

Law Dictionary: How Can A Convicted Felon Receive Firearm Rights?

 

[Varmint]

Are you saying that someone who is convicted should not have that conviction reversed because of juror issues? Does this fall into the "obviously guilty to due process not really required zone"?

Depends on the juror issue I suppose.

In this case, after the guy was convicted of 1st degree murder and sexual assault (he killed a 17 year old girl), his lawyer complained that one of the jurors in the interview said they thought the defendant should speak during the trial. The defendant's lawyer challenged that juror but was denied by the court, since they'd already used all their challenges.

So yeah, one out of the 12 jurors thought the defendant should speak in the trial (which isn't required obviously), and that's why this guy goes free? Ridiculous, and indicative of what a joke our legal system is.

http://law.justia.com/cases/colorado/court-of-appeals/1994/92ca1663-0.html

 

[Varmint]

child rape? he should be 6 feet under, not repeat offending, like what seems to happen a lot in MA

he raped and murdered a 17 year old girl, was convicted, then got off on a technicality. A few years later he raped 2 more underage girls. He got 10 years for that one.

But guns are the story here.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

So yeah, one out of the 12 jurors thought the defendant should speak in the trial (which isn't required obviously), and that's why this guy goes free? Ridiculous, and indicative of what a joke our legal system is.

The judge should have bounced the juror without requiring using of a peremptory challenge (that the defense had already exhausted).

A basic premise of the 5th amendment is that one cannot be forced to testify against himself, and that the failure to either submit to police interrogation or to take the witness stand at trial cannot be used against the defendant. The juror strongly implied he would not abide by the court's instruction not to hold a failure to speak at the trial against him.

The fault was not the protection afforded by the legal system, but the failure of the judge at the original trial to properly apply that protection.

 

[Zappa]

for nonviolent felonies, 2A rights should be restored after like 5 or 10 years. unfortunately this will never happen. once .gov gets rights taken away, they almost never come back.

Except the right to vote.
Since over 75% of those convicted of violent felonies are democrats, guess which political party benefits from this.

 

[Varmint]

The judge should have bounced the juror without requiring using of a peremptory challenge (that the defense had already exhausted).

A basic premise of the 5th amendment is that one cannot be forced to testify against himself, and that the failure to either submit to police interrogation or to take the witness stand at trial cannot be used against the defendant. The juror strongly implied he would not abide by the court's instruction not to hold a failure to speak at the trial against him.

The fault was not the protection afforded by the legal system, but the failure of the judge at the original trial to properly apply that protection.

No, the judge should have just explained the law to the juror, who was obviously just ignorant of the law and didn't really understand what they were asking him. Another reason our jury system is stupid - put 12 ignorant people on the stand, 12 suckers who weren't smart enough to get themselves out of jury duty, and throw complicated legal issues at them and see what sticks.

It is obvious to anyone who's not a lawyer and part of the system, that our legal system is broken, it protects hardened criminals and makes law abiding citizens into felons.

This guy's the perfect example - why don't you go sit down with the two raped girls and explain to them why the courts let this guy walk the streets after murdering another girl.

 

[EJFudd]

Regardless of anything else, can we at least all agree that this is not exactly a person you would want to have as your next door neighbor... ESPECIALLY if you have children? It is unfortunate that he chose gun building as a means to make some money (I'm sure his legit employment potential is very low)... and yes, the leftist media will use it against us as they use everything against us... but from what I've read, this is not a good person. Personally, I will not lose any sleep if he goes back to jail for a very long time.

 

[rivet_42]

12 suckers who weren't smart enough to get themselves out of jury duty,

People may have their opinions as to my intelligence but I wouldn't "try to get out of jury duty" if called. I view it as a civic responsibility like voting and communicating with my elected officials. Never been called in 32 years though, oddly enough. Some people I know keep getting called often enough that they get out of it with "Nope, got called last year."

 

[In God We Trust]

for nonviolent felonies, 2A rights should be restored after like 5 or 10 years. unfortunately this will never happen. once .gov gets rights taken away, they almost never come back.

I agree. I'm cool with violent felons receiving the lifetime ban. I'd also be ok with a process to have your rights restored after a certain time period.

Just because a guy is no longer in prison does not mean he is no longer dangerous. I also believe in second chances though.