Loaded Gun Discharges in Atlanta Airport

If you have been charged with a criminal offense involving a weapon, a felony in RI or MA, or a Federal criminal offense, contact Criminal Defense Attorney John L. Calcagni, at (401) 351-5100 or use the contact form HERE for more information.

Gun in carry-on accidentally discharged at Atlanta checkpoint
By Ben Mutzabaugh

A gun being transported in a passenger's carry-on bag was accidentally fired while it was being inspected by an officer at a screening checkpoint Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.

The Sunday morning incident began when TSA screeners detected a loaded .22-caliber Magnum revolver in a carry-on bag being taken through the security check-point by passenger Richard Popkin, Reuters reports.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes "while an Atlanta police officer responding to the scene tried to clear the five 'snake' shot bullets – small game pellet ammunition – in the handgun, a shot went off, according to an Atlanta Police incident report obtained from Hartsfield officials."

"I was grazed by a pellet fragment on the left side of my face," the officer says in a report quoted by CNN. "However, there were no visible injuries," the officer adds in the report.

The weapon was said to be pointed down toward a screening table when it discharged, according to CNN .

As for Popkin, CNN quotes the police report as saying he initially intended to put the gun in his checked luggage but decided to remove it because he was afraid it would cause that bag to exceed his airline's weight limit.

Fox 5 TV of Atlanta reports that the 43-year-old Popkin "was transported to the Clayton County Jail" and now "faces a charge of carrying a concealed weapon."

The TSA says the Atlanta incident is just one of more than 1,100 so far this year in which firearms have been discovered at airport security checkpoints across the nation.

And the Atlanta incident comes exactly a week after another man was arrested after he forgot to remove his firearm from his carry-on luggage in Memphis.

Read more HERE

ATF, ICE and Others Bust Firearm Ring with Roots in Mexico

If you have been charged with a firearm or weapons crime, contact criminal defense attorney John L. Calcagni at (401) 351-5100 or use the contact form HERE for more information.

International Firearm Ring Busted
Alexandra Limon
November 9, 2011
An arms trafficking ring with players in Mexico and the U.S. was busted by ATF, ICE and other agencices.

In 2009, 33-year-old Gregorio Salgado Lopez was arrested in Mexico after hew as caught on a bus with more than 50 guns. He paid bail and fled to the U.S.

"Mexican authorities were assisted by atf agents in tracking the firearms to madera," said U.S Attorney, Benjamin B. Wagner.

The Department of Justice says the group bought at least 400 firearms at a local Madera gun shop. The guns are .22 caliber rifles, not typically used by criminals. It appears this operation does not have ties to Mexican drug cartels.

Three suspects were arrested Tuesday, and appeared in court Wednesday. At least two others live in Mexico, they and the others are still at large and probably remain in the Madera area. Including Demetrio Cortez Ordaz, authorities say he was the one who transported the guns to Mexico.

According to ATF, the group purchased more than 400 rifles at Pete's Sport Shop from 2006 to 2009 for the purpose of reselling the guns illegally, in Oaxaca Mexico.

"Right now were showing over six years and there were not that many guns so i have to take issue with their numbers," said Rochelle Noblett, the President of Pete's Sport Shop.

The store and it's employees are not facing any charges. The Department of Justice says Pete's did nothing wrong. Noblett says the number of guns purchased by some of the suspects, did raise a red flag. "Then i called the DOJ in california and i asked them and i was told they can buy as many long guns as they want," said Noblett.

Thisis not believed to be related to Mexican drug cartels.

"They're not the sort of semi automatic assault riffles or other automatic weapons that are typically purchased by members of mexican cartels. and we are not aware of any of these particular rifles being sold to members of the mexican cartels," said Wagner.

ATF says most of the rifles have been recovered.

Attempted Abduction and Firearm Suspect Released to Mother in Stonington CT

 

If you have been charged with a crime involving a firearm or other dangerous weapon, contact RI Criminal Defense Attorney Calcagni now at (401) 351-5100, by email at jc@calcagnilaw.com or HERE for more information

R.I. judge orders man, charged with attempted abduction, to stay in mother's Stonington home

By Joe Wojtas

Stonington — A local man, who was arrested Saturday by Narragansett, R.I., police in connection with the attempted abduction of a young woman while she was jogging, was released on $20,000 bail today and ordered by a Rhode Island judge to stay with his mother at her home on Lord's Point.

The South County Independent newspaper and other Rhode Island media outlets reported that Matthew B. Klotz, 27, posted $2,000 in cash to secure the bonds. Judge Mary McCaffrey, who set a felony screening for Nov. 29, agreed to let Klotz leave Rhode Island as long as he stayed with his mother at 33 Hopkins St.

He cannot have any contact with the victim and can not possess any firearms. Meanwhile, police in Rhode Island said they are investigating whether Klotz has been stalking other females in Rhode Island over the past year.

Word of his release began to spread through Lord's Point and among local police this afternoon.

Lord's Point is the place where police said, in 2000, that the then-16-year-old Klotz broke into the home of an 88-year-old neighbor in the middle of the night and attempted to sexually assault her.

While Klotz denied the charge, he pleaded guilty to second-degree burglary and received a suspended seven-year prison term and four years probation.

In last weekend's incident, Klotz, 27, was charged with kidnapping, assault with a dangerous weapon and carrying a dangerous weapon while committing a crime of violence.

Police said a 20-year-old woman was near the entrance to the Point Judith (R.I) Country Club around 4 p.m. Friday when a man holding a dark colored firearm, grabbed her from behind and ordered her into his truck.

Narragansett police released the man's description and the next day, an off duty state trooper spotted the truck parked along the side of the road and saw Klotz walking toward it. When the trooper identified himself, Klotz drove off. The trooper followed and called South Kingstown police, who were able to pull over and apprehend Klotz.

Massachusetts Firearm Identification Card

 

The Massachusetts Firearm Identification Card (FID) is a requirement based on gun policy changes which were part of the Massachusetts Gun Control Act which went into affect June 1, 1998. As part of the new set of Massachusetts firearm requirements all new firearm license applicants must complete a certified firearms safety course or Basic Hunter Education Course. These courses provide one of two FID cards with varying requirements. A class “A" license to carry permits the purchase, possession and carrying of all ammunition, handguns, rifles, shotguns and feeding devices and in addition, permits the holder to carry a concealed firearm. The class "B" permits the purchase, possession and carrying of all ammunition, non-large capacity handguns, and all rifles and shotguns but does not allow the holder to carry a concealed firearm under any circumstances.

The requirements for obtaining a Massachusetts FID card consist of: being at least 18 years old (15-17 with parental consent), and completing a Massachusetts approved firearms safety course or basic hunter education course. The license is valid for a total of 6 years, after which applicants must reapply but are not required to attend the safety course. A restricted FID card is also available specifically for the possession of mace or pepper spray, which also does not require the firearm safety course. Massachusetts has strict penalties for being caught with an unlicensed firearm, and lawbreakers may even be subject to a 90 day sentence that extends to possession of ammunition.

Criminal Defense Lawyer John L. Calcagni III has successful outcome for client in case involving weapons while operating a vehicle under the influence.

Recently a client came to Criminal Defense Attorney John L. Calcagni for the charges of Carrying a Dangerous Weapon, Operating under the Influence of Alcohol, and Improper Operation of Motor Vehicle. The details of the case are below:


CHARGES: Carrying a Dangerous Weapon; Operating under Influence of Alcohol; and Improper Operation of Motor Vehicle

CASE DETAILS: Motorist was stopped by police because of a defective headlight.  At the time of the stop, police observed the motorist to have blood shot eyes, alcohol emanating from his breath and slurred speech.  Police asked motorist to step from vehicle and administered to him a series of field sobriety tests, which the motorist failed.  As a result, man was arrested on suspicion that he was Operating a Motor Vehicle under the Influence of alcohol.  Before taking the man into custody, police asked the motorist if he had any weapons in his possession.  The motorist displayed to police a butterfly knife on his person and admitted to having a loaded pellet gun in his trunk along with a pair of nunchakus (AKA: nunchucks).  Police seized these weapons and placed man under arrest.  Back at the police station, motorist submitted to a breathalyzer test that measured his BAC at .15.  Based upon the foregoing, man was charged with two counts of Carrying a Dangerous Weapon; one count of Operating under Influence of Alcohol; and one count of Improper Operation of Motor Vehicle. 

RESULT: Dismissed / Continued without a Finding. Successfully negotiated that the weapons and improper operation charges be dismissed.  Further negotiated that man receive a 12-month continuation without a finding for OUI and that no criminal conviction be imposed from this incident.

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The Law Office of John L. Calcagni III offers clients representation in the areas of Criminal Defense, Military Defense, Federal Criminal Defense, OUI Defense in MA , and Assault and Battery matters. John L. Calcagni, III is licensed to practice in state and federal courts in the States of Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, Florida, and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Please call (401) 351-5100 to arrange for a free consultation about your case. If you cannot make it to one of our offices, we will to come to your home or detention center.