The next time Paul Helmke and Josh Sugarmann try to assure you that ammo and firearm registration aren’t anything to be concerned with if you’re a law abiding citizen, point them in the direction of this story. The bottom line–the guy did nothing wrong, was actually an ex cop, and still had a SWAT team snooping around his house. From the Associated Gun Clubs of Baltimore:

La Plata, Maryland A law abiding former D.C. police officer received an unwelcome middle of the night visit from 6 members of the Maryland State Police firearms enforcement team.

On August 4, 2008, at approximately 12:30 AM, 6 fully armed state troopers, driving unmarked vehicles, clad in plain clothes and assault vests surrounded a home in La Plata as part of an MSP investigation that began with a legal ammunition purchase by a law-abiding citizen. It seems that the victim purchased and voluntarily registered handgun ammunition in a caliber that the Maryland State Police records did not show the citizen owned. The citizen was automatically “flagged” by “the system” for investigation as a possible “straw purchaser.”

The victim’s wife allowed 4 troopers to enter the dwelling. While the 4 trooper questioned the subject of this investigation, the 2 remaining troopers prowled around the exterior of the dwelling shining flashlights into the basement windows. The victim’s wife confined the family dog in a room, fearful that it would be shot as recently happened to the dogs owned by the Mayor of Berwyn Heights during a botched police raid. While the questioning was taking place, 2 of the 4 troopers wandered around the dwelling in a obvious effort to see something that might be deemed probable cause to search the entire dwelling.

Intensive questioning of the homeowner occurred, and much of it involve questions regarding the firearms the victim owned, where and how the firearms were stored - all unrelated to the actual ammunition purchase. Unable to find any evidence of wrongdoing, the trooper who appeared to be in command apologized for harassing the gentleman and left. None of the state troopers involved identified themselves by name or left any tangible evidence of their visit.

There is much more to this story. Full details regarding the actual event and the final outcome will be reported in the near future.

If you have been contacted or “interviewed” by any police agency regarding an ammunition purchase, please send the details of you experience to lvp@associatedgunclubs.org.

Note: There is no law in Maryland requiring the registration of ammunition purchases. We recommend that our readers never register their ammunition purchases. If the dealer insists, we suggest that you find another dealer. Also, keep in mind that paying by check or credit card is no different than signing an ammunition purchase log.