ATF agent accused of threatening teens with gun after toilet-papered prank
Associated Press
Sept. 18, 2002 10:30:00

INDIANOLA, Iowa - The head of the Iowa office of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms was charged with public intoxication and was being investigated on allegations that he threatened some teenagers with a loaded gun.


Jon Carl Petersen, 41, was arrested and taken to the Warren County jail. He was released Tuesday on his promise to appear in court.

Petersen's supervisor, Paul Vido, in Kansas City, Mo., said Petersen will be allowed to carry a weapon and resume his duties while local and federal authorities investigate the allegations.

Petersen was not in his office Wednesday. A spokeswoman declined to comment on whether he would return.

Indianola Police Chief Steve Bonnett said the incident began when nine teenagers drove past Petersen's house, throwing toilet paper onto area trees and homes as part of a homecoming-week prank.

Police said Petersen chased them in his Jeep, a government-owned vehicle equipped with a siren and emergency lights.

Lucas Viers, 15, said the teenagers heard squealing tires and sirens.

"We were laughing about it because we were thinking he was blowing it all out of proportion until he whipped out that gun," Viers said. "We were pretty scared."

Reports showed that police received several calls about a man threatening teenagers with a gun near Emerson Elementary School about 10:40 p.m. One of the callers reported "that a male subject was pointing a gun at another subject's head," according to police reports.

Indianola police officer Kurt Kness said he handcuffed Petersen and found a loaded revolver in the Jeep.

"Mr. Petersen acknowledged that he had stopped the vehicle and that he was armed with the handgun," Kness wrote in his report. "While talking to Mr. Petersen, it became clear that he was intoxicated. His eyes were watery and his speech was confused and rambling."

Kness said Petersen acknowledged he had been drinking wine. Field sobriety tests showed he had a blood alcohol level of 0.22 percent, more than twice the legal limit for driving, authorities said.

Police said Petersen refused to take a Breathalyzer test at the jail.

His trial was set for Nov. 1.

I hope the JBT gets it busted-off in his ass.

Gee, now who is more dangerous to the public? People who were only in possession of 1/2 oz of marijuana or a DRUNK BATF agent threatening kids with his gun?

I propose mandatory trigger locks for ATF agents. For the children...

How about adding:

1) DUI
2) Assault w/ Deadly Weapon
3) False arrest/imprisonment (criminal and civil - he stopped a vehicle and detained people at gunpoint...he's a federal LEO trying to enforce at best a state littering or trepass law)

Who knows what other laws in Iowa he violated. Drunk and running around with a loaded gun (while off duty and clearly not within scope of duties).

How about he doesn't get charged with anything, and gets to keep his job?

Sukebe?

Anyone?

Given the fact that Lon Horiuchi has literally gotten away with murder (and been promited for it!) No Bet.

I've never been fond of F Troop - if they are going to ENFORCE gun laws, they had damn well better KNOW them.  Ever try to get a straight answer from their Technical Branch?

FFZ

Hmm, let's see. If he weren't a cop, he'd have been charged with DUI, Aggravated assault, Aggravated battery, Armed violence, etc, etc. His bail would have been 6 figures, his weapon confiscated, his home searched for other weapons, and those taken, if found.
And he would be facing a 100 years in prison. It's this disparity, that makes so many of us grind our teeth in frustration and lash out with anti-cop rhetoric.

The DUI charge is what will get him. Frightens the "soccer moms". [puke]

One F-Troop JBT down, thousands to go...[(:)]

He'll be promoted to Attorney General for his tough no-hold-barred stance on crime.

Next time you cutt off a cop in traffic, you'd better think. It could be this drunken POS.

Forget the gun, he had a Jeep![:|]

Ah, a lesser infraction? Isn't there a penalty for refusing a Breathalyzer test?

He will get away with it and be promoted just like all the other fuckup JBT's.
Just think, what would Joe Q. Citizen get for doing the same thing ?????

Yes.  Most states that I know of will automatically suspend your DL if you refuse a BAT.

How hard is it to do your job as the head ATF agent for a city if your DL is suspended?

-934

With a couple of weeks paid vacation!z

Was he within 1000 feet of that school?  While armed? Isn't that breaking some serious federal laws?

Ban all ATF people from having guns......FOR THE CHILDREN!!

An off duty cop witnessed several crimes in progress. He initiated a traffic stop of the suspect vehicle by using his emergency lights and sirens.  The article is unclear about if the suspect vehicle immediately yielded or if there was a pursuit.  The suspects vehicle was occcupied by [b]nine[/b] uncooperative, most likely male subjects, so the officer detained them at gunpoint until back up arrived.

Tha fact that he was a .22BAC is the only thing I see a problem with.

Thats right -- for the CHILLINS.

Bill

I believe that.

Hate to say it, but I agree.  If he had been sober, no sweat.  Being drunk, stupid.

Firstly, he is not a cop.  He is a federal Law Enforcement officer.  Unless he has been sworn and authorized to enforce local laws, he has no more authority than any other individual.  99% of Federal agents have no local authority.

Secondly, he was not on duty.  Even if he was authorized to enforce local statues, he must also be authorized to enforce those statues during his off hours, either by department policy or by pre-arrangement.  It varies state by state, but there is no such thing as 24x7 cop, especially when the officer is intoxicated.  I'm suprised you even try to defend this point, as I'm sure you are aware that it is common practice to avoid any law enforcement duties (especially those that require the threatening or use of deadly physical force) after you have consumed ANY alcoholic beverage.

Off duty arrests, rare as they may be, are usually only effected in cases of felonies.  In this case, the youths would only have been guilty of criminal trespass, and possibly criminal damage/littering.  Both of these are going to be misdemeanors.

Finally, the threatened use of deadly physical force is not justified in this case.  We have an individual who is not empowered to make an arrest, trying to make a traffic stop.  This individual was also impared, and any DRE/DUI expert will tell you that imparement of judgement is the first result of alcohol consumption.  Threatening the use of deadly physical force is only justified to prevent another's use of unlawfull deadly or threatened deadly physical force.  By attempting to make the stop, the agent was already out of his area of authority and could not claim justification as a law enforcement officer in accordance to his duties.

AR15FAN, I expected better from you!

Yep, he's an ***hole.

Oh, and so are the little punks with no respect for property rights.

I'm going to call my Congressman and DEMAND that idiot be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. America is based upon equality before the law, not class priveledge. Enforcers of those laws have a special obligation to follow those laws to the letter! [:(!]

the athorities in ruarl iowa (most of the state) can be real punkass cowboys. i have first hand experiance in this. at least he never got his gun out on me.

You're not looking hard at all. Tell us exactly what federal crime and exactly where in the USC he is given jurisdiction to arrest them for that crime.

--------------------------------------------
Right on the mark.
Ar15fan are looking for a spot on the atf?

Now here is a Federal employee that must really love his job.  Not only does he set an example for the rest of us to follow, we can use him as a reference. ( not that it will get you veery far).

The "rule of law " protects this mans right to have a gun while he is a federal officer.  If this is a first offence then he should be jailed for 6 months.  IF its a second offence then the jeep should be confiscated, driving privledges stripped for life and any personal guns he wons should be removed. ( well they do it for other people)

I think we need fewer government employees and smaller less intrusive federal government.

I'd put my money here....It's amazing how the special priviledged tyrant class can get away with murder....So much for equality in America.

How do we know he wasnt stoned too ? [;D]

An obvious abuse of power, and disreguard for several laws by a chemically challenged federal agent.

God damn Imbro, you must be bipolar! Sometimes you defend these guys and now you bash them. Get back on your meds!

Regarding the charges,you can probably eliminate #2 (assault w/deadly weapon)unless he actually caused physical injury using his gun. As for aggravated assault-ditto
Lastly, "no 24x7 cop especially after consuming alcohol", look up case law where cops have been sued successfully for not breaking up a fight where people sustained injuries using the defense, "I was off duty, out of my jurisdiction, having consumed alcohol". Bottom line is, if the toilet paper incident was eliminated, nothing would have happened. Let's not alleviate blame from the instigators. Maybe now there will be less pranks on that street. [;)]