Maryland sheriff charged in illegal gun rental scheme – WTOP News

FREDERICK, Md. (AP) — A Maryland sheriff repeatedly lied to federal authorities to assist an area firearms vendor illegally receive machine weapons and hire them out to his clients, forming a partnership that was worthwhile and politically helpful, based on a federal grand jury indictment filed final week.

Frederick County Sheriff Charles “Chuck” Jenkins pleaded not responsible Wednesday to a number of prices, together with conspiracy and making false statements to the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

After initially pledging to stay in workplace whereas the case proceeds, Jenkins stated Wednesday he’s taking a go away of absence.

“I’ve full confidence within the system, and I do know that my innocence will prevail on the finish of all of this,” Jenkins stated in a press release launched by the company.

He was launched pending trial on a number of situations, together with that he refrains from possessing a firearm or different harmful weapons.

Federal legislation typically prohibits firearm sellers from importing machine weapons except they’re getting used as demonstration fashions for legislation enforcement businesses, which might legally buy such weapons. However to ensure that sellers to make use of that exemption, the legislation enforcement company should submit a letter to ATF requesting a pattern of the machine gun they’re contemplating buying.

In keeping with the indictment, Jenkins wrote such letters on behalf of his co-defendant, Robert Krop, whose Frederick County enterprise The Machine Gun Nest provided machine weapons for hire. The enterprise remodeled $100,000 in earnings from the leases in 2018 and 2019 alone, the indictment says.

Krop provided Jenkins political help in alternate for the favor, based on federal prosecutors.

In a number of letters courting again to 2015, Jenkins falsely claimed the Frederick County Sheriff’s Workplace wished samples of assorted machine gun fashions, based on the indictment. The requests have been authorized, permitting Krop’s enterprise to acquire the weapons.

In a 2018 letter, Jenkins requested machine gun fashions which might be “appropriate just for use in fight,” not for legislation enforcement functions, the indictment says.

Jenkins was first elected sheriff of the largely rural county in 2006. He began his profession with the company in 1990.

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