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Oh and you want cheap machine guns?
Vahan Kelerchian, 53, of Richboro, Pennsylvania, is charged in a nine count indictment. Kelerchian is the principal owner and operator of Armament Services International, a company located in the Philadelphia area engaged in the sales of firearms, primarily through the internet. The indictment alleges that Kelerchian, from November 2008 to January 2010, conspired with Joseph Kumstar and Ronald Slusser to make false statements concerning the acquisition of firearms. Kumstar and Slusser are both former Lake County Sheriff deputies who were indicted for this conduct in September 2010. Both have since plead guilty, are awaiting sentencing and cooperating with the United States Attorney’s Office.
Essentially, the indictment alleges that Kelerchian, Kumstar and Slusser utilized the Lake County Sheriff ‘s Department to acquire approximately 71 machine guns representing that those firearms were to be owned and utilized by the sheriff’s department for law enforcement purposes. In actuality, it is alleged that Kelerchian, Kumstar and Slusser acquired these firearms for themselves and broke the firearms down into certain component parts and sold those parts at considerable profit.
The indictment also alleges a conspiracy among the same individuals to defraud the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) concerning the acquisition of approximately 74 restricted laser sights which can only be obtained by law enforcement or the military. Similar misrepresentations concerning the acquisition and use by the Lake County Sheriff’s department are alleged in this count.
Kelerchian is also charged with conspiring with Joseph Kumstar to provide the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with letters purportedly from the sheriff’s department requesting demonstrations of machine guns when in fact they knew there would be no such demonstrations.
The indictment also charges that on or about July 31, 2008, Kelerchian gave Kumstar a certain firearm intending to award or influence Kumstar in connection with transactions concerning the Lake County Sheriff’s department. The final count of the indictment alleges a conspiracy by Kelerchain, Kumstar and Slusser to conduct financial transactions involving the proceeds of specified unlawful activity.
Essentially, the indictment alleges that Kelerchian, Kumstar and Slusser utilized the Lake County Sheriff ‘s Department to acquire approximately 71 machine guns representing that those firearms were to be owned and utilized by the sheriff’s department for law enforcement purposes. In actuality, it is alleged that Kelerchian, Kumstar and Slusser acquired these firearms for themselves and broke the firearms down into certain component parts and sold those parts at considerable profit.
The indictment also alleges a conspiracy among the same individuals to defraud the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) concerning the acquisition of approximately 74 restricted laser sights which can only be obtained by law enforcement or the military. Similar misrepresentations concerning the acquisition and use by the Lake County Sheriff’s department are alleged in this count.
Kelerchian is also charged with conspiring with Joseph Kumstar to provide the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with letters purportedly from the sheriff’s department requesting demonstrations of machine guns when in fact they knew there would be no such demonstrations.
The indictment also charges that on or about July 31, 2008, Kelerchian gave Kumstar a certain firearm intending to award or influence Kumstar in connection with transactions concerning the Lake County Sheriff’s department. The final count of the indictment alleges a conspiracy by Kelerchain, Kumstar and Slusser to conduct financial transactions involving the proceeds of specified unlawful activity.
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