Another Day, Another Domestic Terrorist

April, 2010 - Crime: Making threats against the life of a president, felon in possession of a gun

Palm Harbor, Florida - Through some interstate records snafu, even though he has a criminal history including forgery and assault in New York, Mark Ratteni was able to finagle himself a CCW permit in Florida.

Well, instead of showing that he had gone straight and prove that he deserved a second chance, he decided to move from forgery and assault to making threats against the life of the president.

And the word for the day is FLORIDA!

I hope the weather is pleasant where you are this Saturday. We have a plethora of things to share with you today.

Before we go through the day's entries, I present to you these articles to consider concerning issues with state databases, namely missing data and differences in permit approval. It's disturbing that continuing cuts in state budgets and irregular handling of background checks could once again allow those with criminal histories or mental illnesses to slip through the cracks and purchase firearms.

I appreciate Sheriff Bob Fletcher's attitude "I think in Ramsey we set the bar really high... With good reason; it's a huge responsibility, carrying a handgun in public."

And now, back to your regularly scheduled crimes.

March, 2010 - Crime: Impersonating a police officer

Orange County, Florida: Rickey Heath appears to be the type of person who like to hold onto the past. It seems that he was a police officer who then went on to have a security company and a CCW. Problem is, all that's in the past as he hasn't worked as a police officer for ten years, his security company's license was revoked in 1998 and his CCW permit was revoked in 2002.

But that didn't stop good old Rickey. He went right on running the business without the license, carrying his .40 handgun and telling people he was a police officer. (He attempted to use the 'I'm a police officer' to get a restaurant owner to cut his bill in half.)

And he didn't just claim to be any police officer. No, Rickey told other police officers that he was the chief of police first of Orange Co. and then of Orlando. Problem is, Rickey is 60 years old while the police chiefs of both Orange Co. and Orlando are much younger. And Rickey is Caucasian while both the police chiefs are black. And Rickey is male, while the police chief of Orlando is female.

This is the second time in a month Rickey's been arrested.

I'll continue with the others as soon as I stop laughing.

March, 2010 - Crime: Aggravated assault, extortion, money laundering, drug trafficking and attempted murder

Miami, Florida - Roberto Settineri's story should have been the quintessential American success story right out of the movies. Man comes to America from Italy, becomes a naturalized American citizen and starts a successful wine wholesaling business.

Roberto, a CCW permit holder, was arrested for getting into an altercation with a private security officer, telling him, 'I will put this gun in your f___ing mouth. I know where you live. I'll go to your house and kill you and your family.'

And if that wasn't enough, Roberto, who was reported to have ties to the reported Ponzi schemer Scott Rothstein, has been arrested by the FBI on obstruction of justice and money laundering. He is also accused of being connected to the Mafia's Colombo and Gambino crime families.

I guess it was an American story, except instead of being Frank Capra, it was Francis Ford Coppola.

March, 2010 - Crime: Possessing a firearm on school property

Boca Raton, Florida - FAU student and New Hampshire CCW permit holder, Ryan Beauchamp, didn't understand why police came to see him while he was at work. It seems that he had ordered ammo to be delivered to his on-campus apartment. They asked him if he owned a gun and had ordered ammo for the gun. He said yes to both and that the gun was stored in his apartment.

Problem is, he lives on campus and it's against state law to possess a firearm on school property, so police took him in.

Now I have no reason to think this young man is anything but a hardworking student working to keep up his grades and support himself working as a valet. That said, if you plan to move to a new state or new situation you have to be responsible as a gun owner to check out the laws where you are going to live to see where they differ.

Ryan considered lying to the police, but didn't which is a definite point in his favor. He recognizes that he made a mistake, another point.

Times will tell as to whether this lapse in judgement will have a negative effect on his criminal record.

Now this story doesn't have much Florida in it:

March, 2010 - Crime: Possession of a narcotic drug for sale, possession of dangerous drugs, misconduct involving weapons and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia.

Yuma, Arizona - Florida CCW permit holder, Dwayne Carter, has a bench warrant for his arrest for failing to appear on charges of possession of a narcotic drug for sale, possession of dangerous drugs, misconduct involving weapons and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia.

But he has a very legitimate reason for missing his court date, he's locked up in New York for a year on a weapons charge.

Carter's occupation is entertainer. His stage name is Lil' Wayne.

And this one has absolutely no Florida in it. But it does have a real laugh.

March, 2010 - Crime: Failure to notify police of concealed weapon

Fairbanks, Alaska - Local gun-rights advocate, business owner and CCW permit holder, Schaeffer Cox, belongs to a 'Liberty Bell' network that sends out a distress call whenever a member feels that their 2nd Amendment rights are being violated. And when a fellow member called, Cox came a running wearing a bullet-proof vest and brought his .38 with him.

Now there were several problems with this situation:

It would seem that the Liberty Bell member who called shouldn't have worried as much about the gun they had in the home, they should have been more concerned with the marijuana being grown in the home that the police found after searching the home after receiving a hang-up 911 call.

Cox, by law, has to tell the police upon encountering them notify them immediately that he is carrying a concealed weapon for the police's protection. He didn't.

And should a man who was charged only weeks ago with choking his wife and plead guilty of a lesser charge of reckless endangerment be allowed to continue to have the permit.

Conceal carry laws are supposed to allow lawful citizens to carry firearms in order to protect themselves from drug dealers and violent individuals not the other way around.

How can you forget where your gun is?

March, 2010 - Crime: Death being reviewed

Deerfield Beach, Florida - Randy Reddick Jr., a concealed carry permit holder, remembered to leave his firearm in his truck when he went into the post office. Unfortunately, he forgot that he left a firearm in the truck when he sent his two young sons out to the truck to get his coat and hat. 11 year old Randy Roddick III died at the scene from a gunshot to the face.

Our prayers go out to the family.

March, 2010 - Crime: Possession of a firearm at the airport

Little River, South Carolina - Once again a CCW permit holder, this time Mr. Melvin Winfred Slaughter, attempted to take a gun into his local airport. No surprise, Melvin set off the alarms when he went through the detectors.

And as though his day wasn't bad enough, police informed him that his permit expired in January.

A new year, another round of 'What were they thinking?'

January, 2010 - Crime: Possession under the influence and aiming a firearm

Las Vegas, Nevada - Permit holder and body guard, Steve Sanson Jr., was running for public office but after the New Year's celebration, one wonders if he'll have a campaign, a job or a permit. It seems that after work on New Year's he decided to go out and party.

No harm in that.

Problem was, he forgot to take off his .45's, one carried on his ankle and the other on his hip, before he started drinking. Other revelers reported that he'd brandished the firearm while seemingly intoxicated and contacted authorities.

January, 2010 - Crime: Bringing firearm into a courthouse

Tampa, Florida - Permit holder, Donald Koranek, was in line to pass through the metal detectors in order to enter the courthouse when he was told that he couldn't come in with a pocket knife. He chose to leave the line. When he returned to the line a little later, he was carrying a loaded KelTec .32. Now, if he knew he couldn't get in with a pocket knife, what made him think it was appropriate to go through with a semi-automatic?

Occupations that should know better

November, 2009 - Crime: Trafficking in cocaine
Crestview, Florida - Reginald Jackson, a CCW permit holder and a Department of Juvenile Justice employee, was pulled over for swerving and having illegal window tinting. During a search of the car, it was discovered that Mr. Jackson had a bag of cocaine weighing 43 grams and valued at $1,700 and a .40 Smith and Wesson.

November, 2009 - Crime: Assault with a deadly weapon and injury to property
Las Vegas, Nevada - Michael Amador, a CCW permit holder and attorney, got into an argument in a bar with two men during a billiard game. After the two men left, Amador is reported to have followed them and shattered one man's rear window with his semi-automatic firearm. Amador was tackled and held until the police arrived.

Location, Location, Location

November, 2009 - Crime: Carrying a weapon into a prohibited space
Denton, Texas - An unidentified CCW permit holder had been brought into a mental health facility for evaluation because he had become unusually aggressive and had abused the family dog. Unfortunately, once at the facility, it was discovered that he had his .40 semiautomatic pistol tucked into his pants when he announced that he was going to shoot his way out. He surrendered after police threatened to taser him.

Hopefully he will get the assistance he obviously needs.


November, 2009 - Crime: Disorderly intoxication and improperly displaying firearm
Macclenny, Florida - We may never know what the real reason was that Patricia Perry thought she needed to buy ammo. Heck, given her state of intoxication, it's possible that Patricia doesn't know. That said, the CCW permit holder gave several stories as to why she felt she needed to bring her loaded handgun and a liquor bottle into the local Walmart, including saying the gun was a gift for her son and that she needed to go into the woods to hunt snakes utilizing her .38.

Whatever her reason, the store was evacuated and the police were able to quickly place her into custody.

Innocents Paying For CCW Gun Mishandling

October, 2009 - Crime: As yet to be stated
Jacksonville, Florida - A unidentified woman at a Jacksonville entertainment center was shot and killed because another patron, a CCW permit holder, was as the police describe it, mishandling his firearm. What charges will be filed has yet to be determined.

Poor Decisions and Poorer Explanations

October, 2009 - Crime: Trespassing while armed
Fort Myers, Florida - CCW permit holder, Matthew James McMicken learned something very important about carrying a firearm - location, location, location. Matthew decided to go fishing in an off-limits canal adjacent to the Southwest Florida International Airport. First mistake, trespassing on airport property. Second mistake, trespassing while armed. Given that those areas are clearly marked, you have to wonder about the thought process of someone willing to bring a firearm with him onto airport property post 9/11. All I can say is they must have been really good fish in that canal to risk going to jail.

October, 2009 - Crime: Aggrevated Assault
Salt Lake City, Utah - A 41 year old unnamed CCW permit holder drove up to a gas pump at the same time as another driver did. After some heated words, the other man walked into the convenient store. The CCW permit holder followed him into the store and when the 19 year old victim attempted to leave the store the CCW permit holder pulled out a gun, held it to the 19 year old's head and said, "One word and you're dead, [expletive]. You're a smart [expletive] and your life is about to end." All this because a teenager got to a gas pump first.

But it doesn't end there. The CCW permit holder later returned to the store and questioned the clerks concerning whether or not they had called the police about the incident. They had.

When the police questioned the VVW permit holder about the incident he admitted he pulled the gun but claimed to not remember anything else as he was in a blackout.

If he was prone to blackouts, didn't the governing body that gave him the permit have the right to know he was either an alcoholic or prone to being mentally incapable? That said, I doubt he'll have to worry about it from now on.

A Story That Will Break Your Heart

September, 2009 - Crime: Impersonating a police officer
San Rafael, Florida - Back in 2002, police officer named Timothy McGinley was involved in a car crash which caused a serious brain injury. The injury, unfortunately, cost Officer McGinley his career in law enforcement.

[Those who work with individuals will tell you that people who suffer from TBI (Traumatic brain injuries) will tell you it can effect not only cognitive processes but also emotional processes and personality. While the article does not state directly the impairments Officer McGinley suffered, I wanted to make note that the behavior discussed in the article could very well have been the result of his disability. That said, this is solely this blogger's opinion and not gospel. ed]

Four years later, Mr. McGinley was arrested for walking into a church with a concealed weapon and three controlled substances. After posting bond, he made the poor choice of returning to the church and confronting the minister. The police were once again called and this time Mr. McGinley showed them a police badge and a card which stated "Sworn CCW for life". When the police verified that Mr. McGinley was no longer a police officer, he was arrested again.

This month, after a domestic dispute with his ex-girlfriend, Mr. McGinley was arrested for violating his parole. While in police custody, Tim McGinley hung himself in his jail cell.

While there are multitudes of tragedies connected to this story, this blog is dedicated to CCW. It is unfathomable that an individual with a disabling brain injury would be permitted to get a permit since the mental and emotional disablity is permanent.

Our prayers are with Tim McGinley's family.

Update September 24, 2009

November 2007 - Crime: Improperly displaying a firearm
Miramar, Florida - Fitzroy Salesman, city commissioner and CCW permit holder, gets into an argument with a 19 year old fellow shopper at Winn Dixie and several employees at the grocery store and decides that the best way to settle the argument is to threaten them with a gun. Mr. Salesman went on to clain that he feared for his life.

This situation cost Mr. Salesman the election. One must question the rationale behind issuing Mr. Salesman a CCW since in 2005 he was charged with DUI and having a Breathalizer 2x the legal limit (That said, he was aquitted of the drunk driving charge.) and he was forced by the court to take anger management courses after an altercation outside a restaurant in 1998.

Mr. Salesman has most recently been arrested for public corruption.