Appleseed Range shut down in Washington

Knob Creek

Knob Creek

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MONROE, Wash. -- Special federal agents are investigating a local gun range suspected of serving as a militia training camp, according to court documents.
Owner Jim Faire says he can't afford to run a background check on every visitor because his outdoor gun range is a nonprofit business. As a result, he said, county officials and the FBI have begun cracking down on the range after a convicted felon was caught with guns and drugs there.

With thousands of shells littered across the ground, the gun range is now closed. Neighbors are glad to have the quiet, but they never suspected anything criminal was going on.

"There is no threat. And I am not worried about terrorism or any type of radical thing," said neighbor Arne Viklund.

Faire said the county shut down the gun range, citing violation of commercial zoning laws. But he believes the county clamped down because of one man -- Andrew Gray, a convicted felon who faces federal weapons and drug charges.

According to court documents, agents say Gray has a history with anti-government groups. An undercover informant told the FBI Gray had been firing rifles at the gun range, prompting agents to search his storage unit.

Inside they found 21 pistols and rifles, including a military-style machine gun. Also in the unit were two bulletproof vests and unregistered silencers. A search of Gray's house turned up more than 300 marijuana plants growing in the detached garage.

Gray's attorney refused to comment on the case.

Faire would not say just how long he's known Gray, but now he knows the FBI is watching him, too.

Court documents said anti-terrorism agents keep an eye on the gun range because the informant says it's known as a militia training center.

But Faire claims the word "militia" is just a part of an inside joke. He says his group is a local chapter of Project Appleseed, a nonprofit organization dedicated to teaching marksmanship and preserving gun rights.

And neighbors who've known Faire for more than 40 years say that sounds about right. They don't believe he's involved in any radical or anti-government movements.

Gray's attorney says her client stopped meeting with anti-government groups a few months ago. Gray has been freed on bail. He is due in court on Thursday.

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/47264017.html
 
I'll be at the Mini in Mansfield on Sat. Does this mean I'll have a file with Big Brother now? Hope the get my good side [smile].
 
I knew there was something nefarious about those Appleseeders! [wink] [laugh] [rofl]

Public ranges get "public people" . . . the good, the bad and the ugly.
 
derek said:
Oh it's begun... This is not good.
Click to expand...

And you're surprised? Why? After reading Fred's articles for how many years about TEOTWATKI, how to fight a guerrilla war against UN soldiers, etc., why are you surprised that Appleseed is on the FBI's radar?
 
Coming soon, to a range near you.

This is how it's going to go down folks. They're going to start using any flimsy excuse possible to shut down gun clubs and ranges. Just wait til they start using lead pollution as the reason to shut them all down.
 
He has good neighbors and the article is fair and seems to paint the guy in a reasonable light. The problem this guy has nothing can fix. NICS checks are limited to FFLs and he would not be able to use it anyway since NO TRANSFER occurred. Also, this is dangerous precedent because it is saying he is not just responsible for transfers he makes, but people who use his range. Where is the law stating this is his responsibility. I hope this gets fixed before the dipshits in MA get a hold of this.
 
Knob Creek said:
MONROE, Wash. -- Special federal agents are investigating a local gun range suspected of serving as a militia training camp, according to court documents.

Inside they found 21 pistols and rifles, including a military-style machine gun. Also in the unit were two bulletproof vests and unregistered silencers

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/47264017.html
Click to expand...
Not me. I have only civilian-style machine guns.[thinking]
 
So, if a fan at Fenway gets over served, and kills somebody on the way home from the game are they going to shut down Fenway? WTF?

The range is guilty by association? Can't wait for the NRA lawyers to jump on this one.
 
animal8526 said:
also, I love knowing that they are placing UC feds at appleseed shoots.
Click to expand...

and on all the gun boards too. the following was from THR, take it for what it's worth-

My brother works at DHS and he says a bunch of guys there work on Operation Blitzkrieg, which is a sting operation to infiltrate all the national and regional Internet gun forums. They're keeping tabs on all the potential militias by posing as "joe-shooters" and getting people to talk about secret SHTF militia plans. He said look out for any members with code names Blitz, Krieg, or Stallion. Sometimes the usernames are followed by a number designator, the lower the number, the higher up they are on the DHS food chain, so Krieg2, for example, would be a really dangerous rat.
Click to expand...
 
"He said look out for any members with code names Blitz, Krieg, or Stallion. Sometimes the usernames are followed by a number designator, the lower the number, the higher up they are on the DHS food chain, so Krieg2, for example, would be a really dangerous rat."




Blitz1.....I knew it!
 
JohnM said:
and on all the gun boards too. the following was from THR, take it for what it's worth-
Click to expand...

My brother works at DHS and he says a bunch of guys there work on Operation Blitzkrieg, which is a sting operation to infiltrate all the national and regional Internet gun forums. They're keeping tabs on all the potential militias by posing as "joe-shooters" and getting people to talk about secret SHTF militia plans. He said look out for any members with code names Blitz, Krieg, or Stallion. Sometimes the usernames are followed by a number designator, the lower the number, the higher up they are on the DHS food chain, so Krieg2, for example, would be a really dangerous rat.
Click to expand...

jamster-simpsons-homer.jpg


Crap, my cover is blown.
 
salesman said:
"He said look out for any members with code names Blitz, Krieg, or Stallion. Sometimes the usernames are followed by a number designator, the lower the number, the higher up they are on the DHS food chain, so Krieg2, for example, would be a really dangerous rat."




Blitz1.....I knew it!
Click to expand...

I didn't think of that! You're right!!!!!!!!! Maybe Derek will ban him now??????
 
Underwhere said:
Are militias illegal?

Wasn't this country born of Militia men?
Click to expand...

Not specifically, but if you try starting one, expect alphabets to start poking around your existence and making the members' lives a living hell. Then they use incidents like this felon above to justify their actions.

Even when they don't have felons, then they "make" them. (See also, Randy Weaver... etc. )

-Mike
 
Well, there's info on this one that wasn't in that article.

The Ex-Con wasn't ever at an Appleseed there. He was using the range at other times. Somebody informed the local law enforcement agencies, and they investigated the nut job ex-con, then arrested him.

The range owner was shut down over zoning violations. Specifically, commercial use of the property, when it's not zoned as such.

Believe it or not, it's that damned simple.

And, zoning has already been used to shut ranges down, probably some in your area as well.

I think you'll find Project Appleseed has already been well looked over by Federal employees. Some of the instructors are even "federal employees", and aren't concealing it, either. Nothing to worry about, either.
 
Last edited:
As usual, the media didn't get the facts, just spun them into something to make gun owners sound bad. Yet another instance of Anti gun sensationalism.
Nickle said:
Well, there's info on this one that wasn't in that article.

The Ex-Con wasn't ever at an Appleseed there. He was using the range at other times. Somebody informed the local law enforcement agencies, and they investigated the nut job ex-con, then arrested him.

The range owner was shut down over zoning violations. Specifically, commercial use of the property, when it's not zoned as such.

Believe it or not, it's that damned simple.

And, zoning has already been used to shut ranges down, probably some in your area as well.

I think you'll find Project Appleseed has already been well looked over by Federal employees. Some of the instructors are even "federal employees", and aren't concealing it, either. Nothing to worry about, either.
Click to expand...
 

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