Federal prosecutors said former Staff Sgt. Joel Cleve Miller, 40, was found guilty of possession of an illegal chrome AK-47 that he smuggled back from Iraq during a 14-month tour in 2005. When he returned to his home in Hemet, he bragged to several friends that he smuggled the gun back after it once belonged to Saddam Hussein’s Royal Guard.
Full Story – HERE
As they say “Loose lips lose priceless AK’s and could end up doing 10 years in federal prison”. Dumbass…
Is the issue more that it’s an NFA weapon? Or that he smuggled it back? Or both? I’m just wondering which is considered more serious. Like if I was there and smuggled Saddam’s gold toilet seat back would I be in just as much trouble?
Comments
31 responses to “Marine Convicted Of Smuggling AK-47 From Saddam’s Palace”
It’s California – ’nuff said.
James, the Feds don’t care what state you’re in. It’s Federal law that they’re enforcing, not local nor state.
If he had only been smuggling in illegal aliens the Fed’s wouldn’t have cared one bit.
True, but the idiots in Sacramento will pile on too – THIS THING HAS A DETACHABLE MAGAZINE!1!!
That tells me — be careful of who your friends are.
Is he active duty mil? Did he have a MAWP? Hmm…
Chrome AKs are illegal, duh!
It’s an unregistered nontransferable machine gun (I assume it’s full auto) that was illegally smuggled into the country. The guy that owns it is in before a major ATF ass-raping.
He didn’t pay his taxes, and they wouldn’t have taken them if he tried.
Cool toy, I would of taken the grips and recreated my war trophy in the states with a chromed AK pistol. Technically if I remember right all war trophies require signed permission from your unit commander but I don’t think some AK stocks would get people to bent out of shape but bringing home any type of firearm has been banned for a while.
As tempted as I would have been, I would have settled for posing for pictures holding it and other captured items.
“Take only pictures, leave only firearms…”
What I was gonna say exactly. They’ve got him on multiple charges for that little stunt. As neat as it would be to have you can’t show it off if you take it, which takes away the fun. Same thing with who ever stole the M1903 and M1911 Alvin York used. Two priceless pieces that whoever has can’t prove and can’t get rid of.
It could look nicer. It looks like it has been bumper chromed.
We ain’t talking a class act, here. This is Saddam.
: )
So, why is this such a big deal? It’s not like it’s a moral travesty. He didn’t hurt anybody doing this, and now he’s being fucked by the fed. Am I the only person who’s upset about that?
This. He brought home a war trophy and hurt no one. In WW2 it was expected…I have a Jap Type 99 that was a trophy from Iwo Jima, no one went to jail for that.
Simpler times… now even terrorists have rights *smh*
Yup.
I agree. This is quite upsetting that our country treats veterans like this.
It was ok to die for your country in WW2 and bring back trophies. Now it is just ok to die for your country. This guy is getting screwed in the worst possible way.
Oh he’s fucked for sure. But I wonder who ratted him out? That guy might not be able to piss straight once word gets out.
It’s his own fault.
It’s always a good idea to try not to break the law, but when and if you do, don’t say a goddamn thing about it. Bottom line, he’s stupid and that’s why he’s in trouble now.
+1
I was stationed at Fort Hood during Desert Storm and after people started to return a story like this would pop up occassionally whenever some guy really pissed off his wife she would turn him in over the AK buried in the yard. One really inventive group in a maintenance section welded false beds into to trucks and concealed contraband in it to ship home.
During Desert Storm, a guy in my platoon found a Russian/Iraqi 9mm handgun, hollowed out a field telephone, and stashed the gun in there. When the comm gear arrived back to the unit in the states, he retrieved the gun…or so I am told.
Also heard folks in heavy equipment units would disassemble AKs they found and stash the parts inside the hydraulic rams of dozers and other earth moving gear. Stuff was later retrieved after arriving back in the states….well-protected and preserved in the hydraulic oil.
How do soldiers smuggle aks? I would imagine bags are searched
Typically, a a quick visual scan is done by the U.S. Troops (usually USN) at the pier. If nothing is out of order, the vehicle, (or other item) loaded and goes stateside without question.
I knew a USN reservist that helped run the customs after DSII. He sent more than one blown HUMVEE back for processing after he noticed bone fragments in the floor board.
I also know of cases in Korea that we had 20 leftover 20 man tents because the G.I.’s after operation Team Spirit. Those tent bags went home with mink blankets and brass.
Even when I left Korea, they did a 10% search (i.e. Whats in your duffel bag?).
What you have to understand is that 98.9% of all customs laws are a joke. The military knows this and does not ask.
I guess the guy is in trouble for breaking the good taste law.
Chrome AKs… *disgusted burp*
Simple..this guy wasn’t one of Eric Holder’s thugs… ;)
If the guy had said that he was from the ATF and not military..they might have let him keep it.
Absolutely retarded. No, at least retarded is useful. The government that is, more specifically the BATF. This type of shit pisses me off. Stupid fucking bullshit. *send*