ATF agent from Chesapeake indicted for Selling Guns

By Lauren King
The Virginian-Pilot
© April 7, 2011

RICHMOND

A special agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has been indicted by a federal grand jury, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s office in the Western District of Virginia.

Clifford Dean Posey, 43, of Chesapeake was charged with six counts of wire fraud, embezzlement, four counts of making false statements and two counts each of possessing stolen firearms and money laundering. The indictment, returned Tuesday, was unsealed Wednesday following his arrest and initial court appearance.

As part of his duties as a special agent, Posey came into possession of items such as firearms, cigarettes, other tobacco products and cash.

The indictment, cited in the news release, indicates there is evidence that documents were falsified to remove firearms in ATF custody and sell them privately, that cigarettes being stored for use in an investigation were offered at a lower price to two of the potential targets of the investigation, and that other cigarettes and tobacco products were sold on four separate occasions for personal profit. The incidents began no later than 2007 and continued through last year, the news release said.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia recused itself from the case, so the Western District office is handling the prosecution.

The case was investigated by the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General with help from ATF and Hampton police.

There was no indication in the news release when a trial might be scheduled.

http://hamptonroads.com/2011/04/atf-age ... e-indicted