"Waco Jim" and ATF raid Sabre Defense

[3PER]

Agents pay morning visit to Nashville arms manufacturer

By Ken Whitehouse

02-17-2010 10:39 AM —

Federal law enforcement agents, led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, descended on Nashville's Sabre Defence Industries this morning and closed down the facility for at least the day.

Sabre manufactures firearms and firearm parts and accessories. It is contracted by the U.S. armed forces for parts and mounts for the M2 Browning .50-caliber machine gun and Minigun. In addition to its government contracts, it produces the XR15 rifle, non-standard M4 Carbines, and non-standard M16A4s.

Law enforcement officials were seen escorting employees one by one of the company out of their 35,000-square-foot facility on Allied Drive. Each employee was searched next to their personal vehicle, had their vehicle searched and, when cleared, were allowed to leave the premises. No individuals were witnessed being arrested.

After almost all of the employees had left the premises, agents brought in a trailer and backed it up to the company's loading dock.

Reached for comment, federal law enforcement officials declined to comment on their actions and would not specify what the focus of their investigation is.

United Kingdom-based Sabre acquired the Nashville facility in 2002 but had been making military 0.50-caliber barrels and guns since 1979, as well as commercial rifle barrels for various companies. Guy Savage is the CEO and owner of the company, and the Nashville facility is managed by Charles Shearon.

In December of last year, Aerospace Manufacturing Services of Colorado filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee claiming that it is owed $1.05 million for 2,400 .50-calibre machine gun firing bolts.

According to previous media reports, the company employed approximately 85 individuals at its Nashville facility.

 

[3PER]

Re: "Waco Jim" and ATF raid Sabre Defense

Wonder what laws were broken and how many rights were violated by the ATF?

At least they didnt burn it down.

 

[Chris2152]

Re: "Waco Jim" and ATF raid Sabre Defense

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 3PER</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Wonder what laws were broken and how many rights were violated by the ATF?

At least they didnt burn it down. </div></div>

Yeah that and no dogs were shot.

 

[BOLTRIPPER]

Re: "Waco Jim" and ATF raid Sabre Defense

budget time again......

 

[sobrbiker883]

Re: "Waco Jim" and ATF raid Sabre Defense

The scary thing is that the jackbooted ATF can completely wreck a small manufacturer, and put a helluva dent in a large one-anytime, anywhere and under any administration.

ATF needs some <span style="text-decoration: line-through">overwatch</span> oversight.

 

[nock]

Re: "Waco Jim" and ATF raid Sabre Defense

I just wonder how much money the govn't will be paying this company after ATF leaves.

 

[3PER]

Re: "Waco Jim" and ATF raid Sabre Defense

Here is another tidbit on the raid...

ATF agents search Nashville weapons manufacturer
(AP) – 10 hours ago

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Federal agents have searched the Nashville factory of military weapons manufacturer Sabre Defence Industries.

Jim Cavanaugh, special agent in charge of the Nashville field division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, said agents executed a search warrant at the plant Wednesday afternoon, but he would not say what they were looking for.

The company released a statement saying one or more employees may have obtained and resold some items without appropriate licenses. The company says it's cooperating in the investigation.

Sabre's Web site says the U.S. government is its largest customer.

Among its military contracts is one to provide parts for Browning M2 .50 caliber machine guns.

 

[500grains]

Re: "Waco Jim" and ATF raid Sabre Defense

ATF needs to be disbanded. The states have gun laws. We don't need any on the federal level.

 

[BugSniper]

Re: "Waco Jim" and ATF raid Sabre Defense

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 3PER</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The company released a statement saying one or more employees may have obtained and resold some items without appropriate licenses. The company says it's cooperating in the investigation.
</div></div>

Obtained and resold sounds like a soft way of saying they were manufacturing and distributing on the side, using our machines, and probably from our Al stock. Embezzling from a firearms manufacturer doesn't seem the smartest thing to do. It's completely in their best interest to see you get punished to the fullest. I wouldn't be surprised if the "raid" was requested by Sabre if they did in fact have someone doing side-deals and found out. That's how you shut down a business and ruin livelihoods.

 

[smokshwn]

Re: "Waco Jim" and ATF raid Sabre Defense

Sabre Press Release.

To end the speculation. I would be most grateful if you would post this on the AR15.com forum. We released this to the media yesterday in response to what was going on. I was in my office till 4 am working through this with the US facility and my lawyers.

Thanks
Guy Savage CEO
Sabre Defence Industries

NASHVILLE, Tenn., February 17, 2010 – Sabre Defence Industries LLC, an established manufacturer of firearms and weapon systems to the United States military, state and local law enforcement, and worldwide commercial markets, is fully cooperating with federal agents in an ongoing investigation into potential criminal misuse of certain non-saleable firearms produced by Sabre and purchased by some its employees. Sabre has received information that employee(s) involved in inventory control may have obtained and re-sold some items without appropriate licenses. Sabre is and has been cooperating with federal agents in this investigation.

Sabre has more than 120 employees in its Nashville plant. Sabre’s biggest customer is the United States military. Sabre products used by United States armed forces in Iraq and Afghanistan include .50 caliber barrels and components of the M2 Browning machine gun, 7.62 mm mini-gun barrels, and M-16A3 and A4 rifles. Sabre is the only non-public company in the world ever to be awarded a contract for a military spec M-16 rifle. Sabre is dedicated to continuing to provide high quality firearms to the United States military, state and local law enforcement, and Sabre's commercial customers.

 

[68GT]

Re: "Waco Jim" and ATF raid Sabre Defense

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: sobrbiker883</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The scary thing is that the jackbooted ATF can completely wreck a small manufacturer, and put a helluva dent in a large one-anytime, anywhere and under any administration.

ATF needs some <span style="text-decoration: line-through">overwatch</span> oversight. </div></div>

They put Cav Arms out of business as of a couple of weeks ago...

 

[427Cobra]

Re: "Waco Jim" and ATF raid Sabre Defense

Like any Goverment Agency whose job is to oversee a industry, the ATF thinks Sabre fucked up there paperwork, prue and simple, don't think for momment the FAA cares about your safety, they don't, licsensing and reglatory complience is what gets them there funding, the ATF is no different.

 

[3PER]

Re: "Waco Jim" and ATF raid Sabre Defense

BATFE Raids Military Defense Contractor and Firearms Manufacturer Sabre Defence

On February 18, 2010, in Featured, In The News, by David Crane


By David Crane
defrev (at) gmail (dot) com

February 18, 2010

This one falls into the category of “what the hell’s goin’ on around here?” The BATFE (Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives) raided Nashville-based firearms manufacturer and military defense contractor Sabre Defence, yesterday. According to reports, the BATFE has been investigating claims that Sabre Defence employees have been selling guns illegally. It’s being reported that the company has stated that some of its employees involved in inventory control “may have obtained and re-sold some items without appropriate licenses.” Sabre Defence hasn’t specified which weapon models are involved. The Nashville Post reports that “after almost all of the employees had left the premises, agents brought in a trailer and backed it up to the company’s loading dock.”

Sabre Defence’s major military claims to fame are its M16A3 / M16A4 rifle contract(s) and M2HB “Ma Deuce” .50 BMG machine gun components, including barrels. Sabre Defence is also well-known for producing high-quality AR-15 carbines for the commercial and law enforcement markets. As it happens, DefenseReview got a chance to view some of Sabre’s latest offerings, including their gas piston/op-rod AR carbine with lo-pro gas block. The new model utilizes a special Sabre-spec’d version of the Adams Arms Retrofit Gas Piston System (RGPS). The gun we saw looked good, which wasn’t surprising, since Sabre Defence is known for making quality firearms and firearm components and parts. Defense Review shot some photos of the Sabre Gas Piston Rifle, and we’ll be publishing them in an upcoming article, soon, so stay tuned.

Jim Cavanaugh, BATFE’s SAC (Special Agent in Charge) for the Nashville field division, appears to be a point of contact for the media/press. History buffs may remember Mr. Cavanaugh from his involvement in BATFE’s Waco Siege fiasco in early 1993, which resulted in the tragic and unnecessary deaths of 80 people, including more than 20 children–and 4 BATFE agents/assaulters. The Sipsey Street Irregulars blog is referring to Mr. Cavanaugh as “Waco Jim” and to the BATFE as “F Troop“.

The Sabre Defence raid comes on the heals of another high-profile firearms industry bust. Last month during SHOT Show 2010, Smith & Wesson (S&W) had a little run-in with the law, specifically the FBI, when one of its sales executives was arrested in a sting operation resulting from a two-and-a-half-year FBI investigation. In the sting, an FBI special agent posed as an African defense minister.

Twenty-two people, including a Secret Service agent and the aforementioned S&W executive, were arrested on bribery charges in the sting. The defendents were accused in 16 separate indictments, and the specific charges were, according to Reuters, “violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, conspiracy to violate the FCPA, and conspiracy to commit money laundering tied to the sale of guns, body armor and other equipment.”

Interestingly, Reuters now reports that the FBI has run into a judicial obstacle. A federal judge has “cast doubt on the U.S. government’s assertion that 22 people were part of a single conspiracy when they allegedly tried to bribe someone they believed to be an African defense minister.”

“I read all 16 indictments and I didn’t see it,” U.S. District Judge Richard Leon said during a hearing on Wednesday. “I have zero sense that there was an omnibus grand conspiracy.”

 

[3PER]

Re: "Waco Jim" and ATF raid Sabre Defense

This from Mike Vanderboegh on Sipsey Street (www.sipseystreetirregulars.blogspot.com)

Now here is the paragraph above that caught my attention:


The Nashville Post reports that “after almost all of the employees had left the premises, agents brought in a trailer and backed it up to the company’s loading dock.”


It is said in gun circles that the ATF was seizing firearms receivers, product, not records. If so, who are the real thieves here? If this is a case of employee theft (the Wall Street Journal ran an ATF declaration of seized Sabre Defence receivers a couple of weeks ago) and the company is cooperating (as would any company whose gravy train is so inextricably linked to government sales) then why is it necessary to seize PRODUCT?

Is this another example of the ATF enforcing an agenda and not the law?

Being a careful student of Waco Jim's career over the last seventeen years I would say, "You damn betcha!"

Mike
III

 

[The_Punisher]

Re: "Waco Jim" and ATF raid Sabre Defense

someone didnt get they're $$$$