American Guns reality TV star goes to trial in Denver federal court

[MechAg94]

http://www.denverpost.com/2017/02/21/american-guns-reality-tv-trial-denver-federal-court/

A jury was selected Tuesday morning in the trial. Wyatt faces numerous charges including failure to report $1.1 million in income to the IRS, conspiracy and dealing firearms without a license. He has pleaded not guilty. ATF agents seized 583 guns and ammunition from his Gunsmoke store on March 31, 2015.

I guess I hadn't heard much on this.  He apparently lost his FFL during at least part of the show.  Looks like a failure to keep decent records and trying to sell guns via other FFL's.

If he was successful, I am surprised he couldn't find someone with an FFL to partner with who could do bookkeeping if not the sales. 

[Ben]

I remember catching the show a few times when it was on. Guess he should have concentrated more on good recordkeeping and less on helicopter rides. :)

[MechAg94]

Agreed.  I recall they were doing autographs and pictures at the NRA convention in Houston a while back.  But then a number of gun related celebrities were doing that.  I was busy fondling a bunch of guns on display and only ogled the women for a moment.  

Hard to believe that was only about 4 or 5 years ago.  Seems longer for some reason.  I remember seeing the Keltec CMR-30 carbine there.  It only took me 4 years to get one.  

[BobR]

He came to one of our Friends of the NRA banquets as a guest of honor, him and his family. My initial impression was he (and his family) was a *expletive deleted*che and that has never changed. It was after one of his TV shows in which R.L. Wilson was in his store so I asked how he could reconcile bringing a felon into his store and letting him have access to weapons especially with his background of being an LEO. His answer was :well, we have all done something that could get us thrown in jail". Good thing I had no respect for him because I would have lost it at that time.


bob

[MechAg94]

I must have missed the RL Wilson thing.  Never heard of him.  But I don't have cash to mess with high end collectables. 

[BlueStarLizzard]

I think I saw an episode of that.

Lot's and lot's of interesting and pretty guns and they didn't spend anytime actually going into details. It was all "This is really expensive!1!1!"   I was like "Yeah, I know those are expensive, which is why I'd like to look at them and not the price tag."

Despite all the stupid and tacticool crap, the more rednecky one with the blond bimbo was more interesting. At least they built stuff that went boomy.

[BobR]

I must have missed the R.L. Wilson thing.  Never heard of him.  But I don't have cash to mess with high end collectables.  

Depending on who you want to listen to R.L. Wilson was either a fraudster or a victim of circumstances. I believe he knew what he was doing because greed does funny things to people. He just recently passed away and the American Rifleman had a little blurb on him. It didn't mention his vacation in the Lompoc FCC.

He was an acknowledged expert in firearms, a prolific writer and an all around nice guy who just happened to be a felon which may or may not have put a damper on his firearms collecting. I imagine as long as he only dealt with antiques he was OK. :)

http://articles.courant.com/2006-03-26/news/0603260031_1_wilson-s-case-firearms-gun

https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2016/12/22/in-memoriam-noted-firearms-author-rl-wilson/

bob

[230RN]

MechAg94 said,

If he was successful, I am surprised he couldn't find someone with an FFL to partner with who could do bookkeeping if not the sales.

I believe the article said that was what he was doing.

Been in that store four or five times.  Very nice presentation of the goods, very comfortable outdoorsy ummmm "decor."  Only bought some Aguila short shotshells and some cowboy action .45 Colt ammo.  Staff kinda put-offish, but that could have been because of my hippyish presentation.  Looked over an SKS once, but the flash hider showed lots of rust inside, and way overpriced.  Looked, but did not buy.

Unlike most gun stores, where my car seems to automatically steer into the  parking lot, it seemed to want to drive right by there after that.

Lest ye get the wrong impression from the article, the store is not in Denver, but Wheat Ridge, NW of Denver.

Interestingly, while poking around on this matter, I discovered another gun store nearby,  "Hammer Down Firearms," 4550 Wadsworth Blvd, Unit E, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033, (303) 424-1948.  I'm near there a lot on other biz, but never noticed it.

https://www.hd-firearms.com/

I'll reckon I'll have to pay them a visit and see  how they feel about long pony tails. Or maybe I'll just tuck it up under my Auto Zone hat.  Looks more in conformance with all us'n deplorables.  :)

Terry

[HankB]

I remember the show . . . a lot of it was obviously scripted. (Big surprise for a "reality" show, eh?)

The prices were crazy - IIRC, he sold some sucker one of his custom 1911s for about the price of upper range guns from Bill Wilson, Les Baer, and Ed Brown . . . combined.

He also sold a cute blonde gal a "custom" AR-15 for an eye-poppingly high price . . . she was from Austin, TX, and I saw she had a table shortly after the show aired at a local gun show. I was going to ask her about the show and the gun, but drooling guys twice her age were 3 deep in front of her table, so I passed.

[MechAg94]

I believe the article said that was what he was doing.

I thought it said he was having people go to another gun store to do the paperwork and background check. 

[AJ Dual]

Seems like having a string of third parties hold your FFL due to "problems" is kind of a bellwether for gun shop owners with reality TV shows that will wind up on the wrong side of the law eventually.

As to Will Hayden and Red Jacket... I hope Joe Meaux can make a decent go of it. He was much of the real technical talent, and the designer of the ZK-22 bullpup stock, which does a good job of lifting the best elements, cosmetically at least, of both the FN P90 and the Aliens M41A pulse rifle.

I know he has tooling costs etc. to recoup, and I guess charging what the market will bear is how it works, but I'd only be interested in that for under $200.

[freakazoid]

I'll reckon I'll have to pay them a visit and see  how they feel about long pony tails. Or maybe I'll just tuck it up under my Auto Zone hat.  Looks more in conformance with all us'n deplorables.  :)

Terry

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeT5otk2R1g

 

[Jamisjockey]

I remember the show . . . a lot of it was obviously scripted. (Big surprise for a "reality" show, eh?)

The prices were crazy - IIRC, he sold some sucker one of his custom 1911s for about the price of upper range guns from Bill Wilson, Les Baer, and Ed Brown . . . combined.

He also sold a cute blonde gal a "custom" AR-15 for an eye-poppingly high price . . . she was from Austin, TX, and I saw she had a table shortly after the show aired at a local gun show. I was going to ask her about the show and the gun, but drooling guys twice her age were 3 deep in front of her table, so I passed.

I pretty much suspect the prices and even the transactions were faked for the show.

[HankB]

I pretty much suspect the prices and even the transactions were faked for the show.

Awww . . . next, you'll me telling me a lot of the stuff on "Moonshiners" is faked, too.