SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- Worried about illegal gun sales, Attorney General Jim Ryan had his staff surf the Internet last year looking for criminals. The sting netted six weapon sales and a single conviction but no jail time.

Since then, federal authorities have criticized Ryan's approach and the attorney general's own chief lawyer admitted four of the cases were dropped over fears sellers were improperly lured into illegal actions.

David Chipman, an agent with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, criticized the lone conviction against a Michigan man who sold a submachine gun. He said Ryan's office did not cooperate with the ATF to build a stronger case or force the man to help find other dealers.

It's not clear what Ryan expected to accomplish. His aides have said the sting was meant to nab crooks. They also have said it was simply to gather information because they knew that no state law applied.

Ryan's office has also called the probe a success that produced a change in state law.

In early 2000, Ryan's office spent $5,200 to buy six weapons -- a British Sten Mark II machine gun, three AK-47s, an Israeli Galil assault rifle and a semiautomatic pistol from an Ohio police officer. Most were chosen from an online post for legally selling and swapping weapons.

Ryan's staff was able to buy the weapons without the required transfer through gun dealers with federal firearms licenses, or FFLs. To do that, the investigators had to tell the sellers -- falsely -- that the transactions were legal.

"I need to send it to an FFL dealer, right? Don't I need a copy of an FFL from you?" a seller of an AK-47 asked via e-mail.

"If you are not a dealer and just a private citizen, you can sell directly to me," investigator Tom Berola responded, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press through the Freedom of Information Act. "If I lived down the street from you we would not need a dealer to sell to each other, would we?"

State law prohibits convicting people who are "incited or induced" into criminal activity. Police may encourage someone who is ready to commit a crime, but not lie about whether it's legal, said Paul Robinson, a Northwestern University law professor and former federal prosecutor.

Ryan's lawyers decided not to prosecute.

The case against the Ohio police officer who allegedly sold a handgun illegally was dropped for lack of evidence, a Ryan spokesman said.

The one prosecution was against Christopher Tocco, 36, of Goodrich, Mich. He pleaded guilty to unlawful use of a weapon -- the submachine gun -- and got two years' probation and 50 hours of community service.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-ap-gun-sting1220dec20.story

Let the prick know how you feel:

[url]http://www.jimryanforgovernor.com/contact.asp?[/url]

rember pat O'malley is the only pro gun republican candate. and ryan is a dirt bag. if ryans people illegaly sold or purchased guns, why were they not prosicuted. seems to be a double standard.

Tactics questioned in Jim Ryan gun sting

December 21, 2001

BY JOHN O'CONNOR
Worried about illegal gun sales, Attorney General Jim Ryan sent his staff surfing the Internet for criminals last year.

The results of what his staff calls a first-in-the-nation investigation: six weapons purchased, a single conviction (but no one going to jail), problems with his investigator's tactics and criticism from federal authorities.

Ryan's chief lawyer admitted the office dropped four of the cases because of fears that the attorney general's investigator improperly lured sellers into illegal actions.

The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms criticized the lone conviction Ryan obtained, against a Michigan man who sold a submachine gun. Ryan's office did not cooperate with the ATF to build a stronger case against the seller or force him to help go after other dealers, agent David Chipman said.

None of this has discouraged Ryan, though, and his office calls the investigation a success that produced a change in state law.

Aides to Ryan, a leading Republican candidate for governor, have said the gun probe was meant to nab crooks and also to gather information because they knew that no state law applied.

In early 2000, Ryan's office spent $5,200 to buy six weapons on the Web--a British Sten Mark II machinegun, three AK-47s, an Israeli Galil assault rifle and a semiautomatic pistol from an Ohio police officer. Most were chosen from an online site where gun enthusiasts can arrange to sell and trade weapons legally.

Ryan's staff was able to buy the weapons without the required transfer through gun dealers with federal firearm's licenses. To do that, the investigators had to tell the sellers--falsely--that the transactions were legal.

The one prosecution was against Christopher Tocco, 36, of Goodrich, Mich. He pleaded guilty to unlawful use of a weapon--a Sten sub machinegun--and got two years' probation.

AP
http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-ryan21.html

If the feds are being so critical towards Ryan, then why in the Hell did they give that piece of shit $800,000 to help further his antigun campaign???

ColtShorty

GOA KABA COA JPFO SAF NRA

"I won't be wronged,  I won't be insulted
and I won't be laid a hand on. I don't do
these things to other people and I require
the same from them."