WESTNET

Our good friend from westnet Roy Alloway has been indicted by a federal grand jury for illegal gun sales. Anyone living in western washington will be real familiar with his tactics when it came to busting legal MMJ grows.

C/P
TACOMA â?? TACOMA â?? A former Bremerton Police officer has been indicted by a federal grand jury for unlawfully selling guns.

Roy Alloway, accused by federal prosecutors of selling firearms for a profit without completing the proper paperwork, was charged Friday with one count of unlawfully dealing in firearms in U.S. District Court in Tacoma.

Bob Goldsmith, Alloway's Seattle-based attorney, called the charge a "regulatory prosecution" against a "distinguished retired police officer."

"I would suggest that the law is very complicated in this area," Goldsmith said. "Mr. Alloway never thought he was breaking the law."

Alloway, 56, allegedly purchased nearly 400 guns from three different federally-licensed firearms dealers between January 2005 and November 2010, federal prosecutors say. He is accused of selling pistols to undercover agents with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives during three gun shows: one in Centralia on July 18, 2009, and two in Puyallup â?? one on Oct. 24, 2009 and another on Nov. 14, 2009.

Federal agents accuse Alloway of selling the guns without being properly licensed for the purpose of making a profit. Goldsmith counters that Alloway is a member of Washington Arms Collectors Club, which hosts gun shows. If there was any issue with his sales, Goldsmith said he believes it should have been handled civilly.

Alloway was a longtime Bremerton undercover narcotics detective. He worked for both the West Sound Narcotics Enforcement team, a task force made up of officers from several local agencies, and Bremerton Police's Special Operations Group. He retired in May 2010 after a career "full of commendations," Goldsmith said.

The statutory maximum for the crime as charged is five years in federal prison.

Alloway's South Kitsap home was raided by federal agents in November as part of a sweep of several suspects accused of illegal gun sales around Western Washington.

Three other men were charged as a result of the investigation into illegal firearms sales at gun shows. Kenneth Gussoni, 55, of Bremerton, and Mark Skiles, 46, of Belfair, were indicted on a charge of conspiracy to unlawfully deal in firearms and one count of unlawful dealing in firearms. Gussoni is also charged with possessing an illegal silencer and possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number.

David Devenny, 68, of Olympia, was indicted on a charge of unlawful dealing in firearms and two counts of selling firearms to a prohibited person. He was arrested in November 2010, following the sale of a gun to a prohibited person working with law enforcement.

Federal prosecutors emphasized that the paperwork required during sales is important because law enforcement can trace the weapon's sale should the gun ever be used in a crime. In this case, prosecutors said Devenny sold a gun to a man accused of murdering Seattle police officer Timothy Brenton in October 2009.

"Gun shows are legal, but funneling illegal gun sales through gun shows is not," U.S. Attorney Jenny Durkan said in a press release. "Illegal gun sales allow guns to get in the wrong hands and blocks our ability to trace guns used in violent crimes. These defendants knew better, but put their profit ahead of the safety of the community."

Each of the defendants will be arraigned May 9 in U.S. District Court in Tacoma.