THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, May 25, 1995 TAG: 9505250481
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: MANTEO LENGTH: Medium: 86 lines
A Nags Head sanitation worker who was also a licensed firearms dealer has been indicted on federal charges that he sold at least 250 guns illegally.
Authorities said Wednesday that 46-year-old Rayfield Bowe of rural Grandy sold the firearms over an eight-month period after removing or obliterating the serial numbers from them, in violation of federal law.
Guns sold by Bowe have been recovered by law enforcement officers in connection with a number of violent crimes - including murder - up and down the Eastern Seaboard, authorities charged. The guns have been tied to crimes in New York, Baltimore and Washington, D.C.
Federal agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms arrested Bowe without incident at noon Tuesday at his residence. He appeared before U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle for arraignment, and was released on $50,000 bond.
Bowe is charged with four counts of possessing firearms with removed or obliterated serial numbers, one count of selling a firearm to a convicted felon; one count of possessing an unregistered sawed-off shotgun, and one count of failing to keep proper records as required by law.
If convicted, he could face a maximum penalty of 45 years in jail, and fines of up to $1.75 million. Other charges could be forthcoming in the investigation, authorities said.
Bowe's indictment capped a three-month investigation by the U.S. Attorney's Office, the ATF, the State Bureau of Investigation and the Dare County Sheriff's Office.
Dare County Sheriff Bert Austin said the probe began after a series of local drug arrests led to the discovery of firearms with the serial numbers removed.
``The weapons were starting to show up in connection with cases we were working,'' Austin said. ``The ATF was able to trace it back to him,'' he said, referring to Bowe.
Thomas Ferguson, ATF resident agent in charge, said Bowe's arrest came after he allegedly sold illegal firearms to ATF undercover agents.
``He was legally licensed to sell firearms,'' said Ferguson. ``But you must keep a record of your sales, you must sell to authorized individuals, and you must sell guns with serial numbers.''
Authorities said Bowe apparently purchased the guns legally from licensed wholesalers. Authorities are still talking to them in an effort to determine the exact number and the types of firearms Bowe purchased.
``It appears he sold guns to the criminal element,'' Ferguson said. Among the weapons on display at Wednesday's news conference were a hand-held semi-automatic weapon, a sawed-off shotgun and a variety of handguns. Their value, law enforcement officials said, ranges from $150 to $500.
U.S. Attorney Janice McKenzie Cole, at a news conference where the arrest was disclosed, call the investigation a good example of cooperation between agencies at all levels of law enforcement.
``This is going to have an impact on violent crime up and down the east coast,'' Cole said.
Ferguson said Bowe's arrest will reduce the number of firearms available on the street.
``I believe we will see a much lower level of violent crime as a result of this indictment,'' he said.
Austin said local officials have been investigating Bowe for about six months.
``This is something that law enforcement officers face on a daily basis,'' Austin said. ``It's not getting any better out there. They (criminals) feel like they have to protect themselves, and they have to have bigger and better weapons than we have.''
Austin said drug and firearm activity is becoming more prevalent in Dare County, and the lure is quick cash.
Bowe has been employed in Nags Head since 1983, and has been a licensed firearms dealer since 1991. Ferguson said Bowe had used his firearms business to supplement his regular income.
Town officials refused comment when asked about Bowe and his employment with Nags Head.
No trial date has been set. ILLUSTRATION: Color staff photo by DREW C. WILSON/
Dare County Sheriff Bert Austin, right, and ATF Agent Thomas
Ferguson examine guns confiscated in the arrest of a Nags Head man
on weapons charges. The serial numbers on some of the guns allegedly
have been obliterated.
KEYWORDS: ARREST GUN DEALING by CNB