INDIANAPOLIS–The former police chief of Addyston, Ohio is accused of trying to con the ATF into allowing two Indiana gun dealers to buy machine guns. Federal prosecutors say Dorian LaCourse got a cut of the profits when the dealers resold the guns.
People cannot own machine guns. Police can, under a federal exception. The prosecutor says the former chief helped the dealers purchase the guns under that exception.
Acting U.S. Atty. John Childress said LaCourse, 65, of Milford, Ohio, has been indicted for his part in the scheme, along with the two dealers, Johnathan Marcum, 33, of Laurel, Indiana, and Christopher Petty, 57, of Lawrenceburg.
Childress said Milford wrote letters and put his name on documents that went to the ATF, claiming that police department in the town where he was chief, Addyston, needed machine guns and that his officers were interested in demonstration models and models for purchase.
But, Addyston only has a population of about 1,000 people and fewer than ten officers.
The dealers were able to get their hands on some machine guns and resell them. The former chief made over $11,000 in illicit money.
In all, the indictment says that through their scheme, LaCourse’s false statements and representations induced the ATF to approve the purchase or importation of approximately 200 fully automatic machine guns.
The types of guns acquired ranged from smaller submachine guns to automatic assault rifles, to belt-fed machine guns for military use. One of those guns was an M2 .50 caliber belt-fed heavy machine gun, which according to the indictment, is a vehicle- or ship-mounted weapon that is effective against lightly armored vehicles and low-flying aircraft.
LaCourse faces up to ten years in prison on each charge if indicted and convicted. Marcum and Petty each face up to five years.
