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Gun supplier in Long Hill risks losing license over security lapse allegations
Sarco fighting state police inspection findings
By Peggy Wright • Daily Record • April 1, 2008
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LONG HILL -- Sarco Inc., one of the nation's largest wholesale and retail suppliers of firearms and parts, is in danger of losing its state license to sell weapons because of alleged lax security measures.
Sarco's state license to operate was supposed to expire on Monday, but a Superior Court judge in Morristown last week extended the license until this Friday, when he said he would hear arguments on whether Sarco owner Charles Steen should have it renewed for another three years.
State police last inspected Sarco's warehouse on Union Street in the Stirling section of Long Hill in October and denied a license renewal. Superior Court Judge Salem Vincent Ahto reviewed the denial and agreed with the state police.
Steen and his attorney, Evan Nappen, who is nationally known as a legal expert on firearms law, were in court on Friday and were told to return this Friday for the appeal hearing.
Missing firearms
Steen's renewal application and a state police report on the business are considered confidential. But the judge in court said he was concerned about the operation and referred generally to guns missing from Sarco and "showing up in places they shouldn't."
On Monday, Nappen said he was not yet fully apprised of the reasons for the license denial. But he said it appears to relate to the theft several years ago of about 50 firearms from Sarco.
A former employee, later apprehended in Arizona, admitted to the theft of some of the guns, authorities said.
"I don't see any culpability on Mr. Steen's part," Nappen said. "He was the victim of a theft. He did everything he was supposed to do to safeguard the inventory. He was following state police security procedures."
A state police spokesman said he could not comment on the pending application because of confidentiality laws.
Sarco, with an inventory of about 40,000 firearms, specializes in selling collectible and historic firearms and replacement parts and accessories. The inventory includes weapons used by the military in World Wars I and II, and Sarco has supplied the U.S. government with firearms used to train troops, Nappen said.
Sarco is awaiting a shipment of Israeli bolt action rifles, he said.
Ban on ordering
As a condition of operating under the old license, at least until Friday, the judge said Steen could receive shipments of goods already ordered but could not place any new orders for firearms right now.
Morris County Executive Assistant Prosecutor Robert Lane was at Friday's hearing, but said it is likely that an attorney for the state Division of Criminal Justice will take over the case.
Nappen said a closure of Sarco's could have a profound impact on Long Hill because it is a longtime ratable -- in business for more than 40 years -- and employs 50 people.
"Unfortunately the impact is not just to Sarco but to the community," Nappen said.
Long Hill Mayor George Vitureira said he was not aware of Sarco's predicament with its license, but said the business has not posed problems for the township to his knowledge.
Peggy Wright can be reached at (973) 267-1142 or [email protected].
Sarco fighting state police inspection findings
By Peggy Wright • Daily Record • April 1, 2008
Post a CommentRecommend Print this page E-mail this article
Share this article: Del.icio.us Facebook Digg Reddit Newsvine What’s this?
LONG HILL -- Sarco Inc., one of the nation's largest wholesale and retail suppliers of firearms and parts, is in danger of losing its state license to sell weapons because of alleged lax security measures.
Sarco's state license to operate was supposed to expire on Monday, but a Superior Court judge in Morristown last week extended the license until this Friday, when he said he would hear arguments on whether Sarco owner Charles Steen should have it renewed for another three years.
State police last inspected Sarco's warehouse on Union Street in the Stirling section of Long Hill in October and denied a license renewal. Superior Court Judge Salem Vincent Ahto reviewed the denial and agreed with the state police.
Steen and his attorney, Evan Nappen, who is nationally known as a legal expert on firearms law, were in court on Friday and were told to return this Friday for the appeal hearing.
Missing firearms
Steen's renewal application and a state police report on the business are considered confidential. But the judge in court said he was concerned about the operation and referred generally to guns missing from Sarco and "showing up in places they shouldn't."
On Monday, Nappen said he was not yet fully apprised of the reasons for the license denial. But he said it appears to relate to the theft several years ago of about 50 firearms from Sarco.
A former employee, later apprehended in Arizona, admitted to the theft of some of the guns, authorities said.
"I don't see any culpability on Mr. Steen's part," Nappen said. "He was the victim of a theft. He did everything he was supposed to do to safeguard the inventory. He was following state police security procedures."
A state police spokesman said he could not comment on the pending application because of confidentiality laws.
Sarco, with an inventory of about 40,000 firearms, specializes in selling collectible and historic firearms and replacement parts and accessories. The inventory includes weapons used by the military in World Wars I and II, and Sarco has supplied the U.S. government with firearms used to train troops, Nappen said.
Sarco is awaiting a shipment of Israeli bolt action rifles, he said.
Ban on ordering
As a condition of operating under the old license, at least until Friday, the judge said Steen could receive shipments of goods already ordered but could not place any new orders for firearms right now.
Morris County Executive Assistant Prosecutor Robert Lane was at Friday's hearing, but said it is likely that an attorney for the state Division of Criminal Justice will take over the case.
Nappen said a closure of Sarco's could have a profound impact on Long Hill because it is a longtime ratable -- in business for more than 40 years -- and employs 50 people.
"Unfortunately the impact is not just to Sarco but to the community," Nappen said.
Long Hill Mayor George Vitureira said he was not aware of Sarco's predicament with its license, but said the business has not posed problems for the township to his knowledge.
Peggy Wright can be reached at (973) 267-1142 or [email protected].