Florida Man Loses CC License and Guns Over Mistaken Identity
Russ Chastain 08.20.19
I’ve made no secret of the fact that I disagree with the wide-reaching gun control laws that were passed in Florida last year. In only the first few months after the Republicans shoved that down our throats, more than 450 Floridians had lost their guns as a result of the Red Flag law, which allows law enforcement agencies to steal guns from anyone without due process. In such a terrible system, problems are bound to crop up — such as last week, when a law-abiding Floridian had his concealed handgun license revoked and firearms confiscated even though police knew they had the wrong man.
Ammoland reported that Jonathan Edward Carpenter of Osceola County, Florida received a certified letter from the state informing him that his concealed handgun license had been revoked, stating that, “On or about August 12th, 2019 in Osceola County, Florida, an injunction was entered restraining you from acts of domestic violence or acts of repeat violations.”
Carpenter was naturally shocked and confused, so he called the state to clear things up. Informed that he needed a form from the Clerk of Court in his county, he went to that office to obtain it.
When he got there, the Clerk informed him that there was an injunction against a Jonathan Edward Carpenter.
‘What do I have to do to prove that you have the wrong Jonathan Edward Carpenter?’ he asked the Clerk.
The Clerk instructed Carpenter to go downstairs to talk to the Osceola County Sheriff’s office to clear things up. Carpenter still figuring that it was just a mistake that the Sheriff’s office could quickly clear up went and spoke with him.
Carpenter soon learned that his rights had been stolen due to a statement from a woman who claimed she’d rented a room to someone named Jonathan Edward Carpenter, who dealt in illegal drugs, damaged her furniture, and sold some of her things without her permission. She claimed he had a gun and that she didn’t know whether it was legal, and that she feared for her life.
Carpenter had never met the woman in question and never lived at the address listed in the restraining order. Moreover, other than being white, he looked nothing like the [other] man.
The man in question is 5’8. Carpenter is 5’11. The alleged drug dealer is 110lbs. Carpenter is over 200. The man has black hair. Carpenter is completely bald. Last but not least, the man in question is covered in tattoos, and Carpenter only has a few.
It was apparent that the police had the wrong man, but Carpenter was in for his biggest shock yet. The Sheriff’s office told Carpenter he had to surrender his guns. Carpenter never even had as much as a hearing, yet he was losing his rights.
His firearms were surrendered under threat of arrest, and he was told that he will not be able to recover them until after a hearing where his accuser will hopefully verify they have the wrong man. And then he will have to spend money and time petitioning the courts to get his own firearms returned to him.
This is only one small example of why “Red Flag” laws are horrible and will inevitably be abused.
As to why the “system” decided our Mr. Carpenter was a bad guy, Ammoland surprisingly discovered from a police officer that it is “a common practice” for the courts to look through concealed handgun licensees for the name in the injunction, then target that individual with gun confiscation and loss of civil rights. This is likely what happened in this case. It’s also pretty stupid… what “drug dealer” is going to obey gun laws by obtaining a concealed handgun license?
When I pressed the officer of the likelihood of a drug dealer obeying Florida gun laws and getting a concealed handgun permit, he agreed that it probably isn’t likely. He then stated that police and courts do make mistakes all the time, but he insisted that it is better to make mistakes than not do anything. Many disagree with that point.
The result of this case remains to be seen, as Mr. Carpenter’s hearing will not even take place until August 27, after which he will have to commence begging his own government to return the property they wrongfully seized. I shudder to think what he will have to go through in order to receive a new concealed carry license.
Here’s hoping that once it’s over, he will never have to put up with such a thing ever again.
