This happens everyday in Chicago. The police enter homes without search warrants all the time. It isn't reported in the papers obviously. It happened to someone I know. The police pushed their way into his home with some lousy excuse. Apparently someone called the police and said illegal activity is occurring there with no evidence they violated this individuals rights. Being a law abidding citizen he opened the door. They walked in and went straight to his bedroom. They found three rifles all registered. He showed them his FOID card and registration forms. They confisicated the forms and his guns. He was charged with not having registered firearms or a FOID card. The first lawyer he saw told him it was hopeless. He wouldn't be able to get back any of his firearms and he might spend some time in jail. Well, my friend turned to James Valentino (Illinois State Firearm Association President). Mr. Valentino being a lawyer went with my friend to court. He presented all the photo copies my friend had showing that he had a valid FOID and gun registration cards. Mr. Valentino even mention that his client was so law abidding that he even registered some of the firearms before he received them (proactive move). The judge threw the case out and returned all the firearms (AR-15 shorty, AK-47 folder, and an AT-9). Total cost unknown. My friend was arrested in front of all his neighbors. His firearms were paraded outside his home. He spent over $1000 to get back his firearms. He was held in prison for 12 hours. He was finger printed. Pictures were taken of him. How do you put a price on that? I figure one day, that debt will be paid in full. My friend still has the court decision that set his firearms free. The sad thing is after this my friend sold off his gun collection. He was never quite the same again.
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