City stares down Virginia gun seller

Cavalier Knight · Aug 22, 2008

The city has reached a tentative settlement with a Virginia gun shop - the last of the 27 dealers it sued for selling firearms to straw buyers.

Bob Moates' Sport Shop agreed to make changes in it's sales practices but will not be subject to surveillance and monitoring by a special master like the other gun retailers that settled, city attorney Ari Biernoff said Thursday.

The federal case accused firearms dealers in Georgia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Virginia of contributing to gun violence in New York City by selling guns to straw purchasers who convey them to criminals.

A gun control group in Virginia had found that Moates sold 22 guns used in crimes and recovered by the NYPD between 1994 and 2002.

Moates told the Daily News Thursday he settled the case "for peace of mind."

"Mayor Bloomberg probably thought he was doing the right thing, but not in my opinion," Moates said. "I didn't do anything wrong, and the fact that guns made there way up to New York City is not in my control."

Jury selection in Brooklyn Federal Court for Moates' trial was scheduled for next month.

The city settled with 21 gun shops, while three others defaulted and three cases were dismissed.

ZeSpectre · Aug 22, 2008

You know if it'd been ANYTHING but guns involved the "managed media" would have been all over this "rich and powerful rampaging over a poor sick old man" story.

but to them Bob's just another "evil gun runner".

Sometimes I feel like there's just no justice.

tinygnat219 · Aug 22, 2008

interesting. This despite the financial support that was thrown his shop's way by the VCDL.

K-Romulus · Aug 22, 2008

Great headline: NYC gets no "special master" over Moates, but yet NYC still "stared him down." Priceless.

ZeSpectre · Aug 22, 2008

interesting. This despite the financial support that was thrown his shop's way by the VCDL.

Yeah but last I heard Bob's health is not good so I can understand him getting worn down.

tinygnat219 · Aug 24, 2008

Considering he's taken on NYC for what, 2 years now? I can understand why he wants to finally settle.

General Geoff · Aug 24, 2008

NYC would have continued with the lawsuit for however long it had to. Cities don't go bankrupt, they just go further into debt. Private citizens and businesses don't have that luxury.

CajunBass · Aug 24, 2008

I'll bet they're proud of themselves. They beat a tired, sick old man. I'll bet they're thumping their chests and shouting "We're number one!"

They should be ashamed.

Old School · Aug 24, 2008

I'll bet they're proud of themselves. They beat a tired, sick old man.

Unfortunately, they did far more than that. Picking on the weak allows them to create case histories more easily. This can become case law, which means they have "beat" all of us.

basicblur · Aug 24, 2008

Jury selection in Brooklyn Federal Court for Moates' trial was scheduled for next month.

I doubt it would have made it to trial anytime soon-Bloomberg & cronies would have used another stalling tactic rather than risk going to trial, since there's a good chance they would lose.
The plan was not to go to trial and take a chance on losing-the plan was to waste as much taxpayer money as it takes to bleed the dealer dry and either force him to settle or bankrupt him.

divemedic · Aug 24, 2008

Unfortunately, they did far more than that. Picking on the weak allows them to create case histories more easily. This can become case law, which means they have "beat" all of us.

Settlements are not precedential.

RNB65 · Aug 25, 2008

It's amazing that in the end, no one had the nads to stand and fight in court. Despite a lot of tough talk, all 27 victims folded like a house of cards.

Bubbles · Aug 25, 2008

No one had the $$$ to stand and fight in court. Bloomberg would have bankrupted NYC if he had to, to keep fighting.

You know how to make a small fortune in the firearms biz? Start with a large one.

devildog66 · Aug 26, 2008

It is really such a shame for Bob Moates as he could have NEVER afforded to fight this in the manner in which it needed. He is in a tiny town and runs a great little shop that is a reprieve to be able to stop in and just look around. He is also a very competent gunsmith and the only one for miles in that area. While there have been some unscrupulous FFL dealers in this area, I don't put him in that group.

Another lesson in that attacks on freedom and individual responsibility will never end and will come at us form all corners.

City stares down Virginia gun seller

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