By Michael Puente | Sep. 22, 2011
Three police officers working in the sheriff’s department of Lake County, Ind., are facing indictments for allegedly selling military-grade weapons on the Internet.
The U.S. attorney’s office says a federal grand jury returned firearm and tax violation indictments on Edward Kabella, Joseph Kumstar and Ronald Slusser.
The three allegedly bought 74 fully automatic machine guns and 92 laser aiming devices from a reputable dealer and resold them. Online sales of the guns and parts allegedly netted the officers thousands of dollars.
Federal prosecutors allege that some of the guns and parts were used in crimes in Canada and Mississippi.
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The scheme occurred between September 2008 and January 2010, which would place it during the tenure of former Lake County Sheriff Roy Dominguez, who left office at the end of 2010.
Kabella, 42, worked as a patrol officer, and Slusser, 47, served as a SWAT team member and firearms instructor with the sheriff’s office. Both are from Crown Point.
Kumstar, 40, also of Crown Point, was a 17-year veteran of the department and had served as deputy chief for Dominguez.
The three officers purchased the H&K machine guns in the name of the sheriff’s department, since these types of guns can only be purchased by law enforcement agencies, according to the indictment.
The guns were shipped to the sheriff’s department in Crown Point and then removed to Slusser’s home. The barrels and additional parts from the machine guns were then removed and sold on the Internet.
The indictment alleges the three also under-reported their income from the sales of guns and parts.
According to the indictment, Slusser understated his income in 2006 by nearly $300,000; Kumstar understated his income by $30,000 in 2009; and Kabella understated his include in 2009 by more than $58,000.
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Capp said the dealers who originally sold the guns committed no crimes.
More at link
http://www.wbez.org/story/northwest-indiana-cops-indicted-gun-charges-92358