Maryland and pyrotechnics

tangent · Feb 15, 2019

Well I just had a lousy day

I'm a pyrotechnician and have been making fireworks since I was 12. I just turned 57. So my pyro shed got broken into and trying to be a good citizen called the cops to report it. Cops showed, then the bomb squad. I'd called the precinct asking for the BS's number and tried to call multiple times. They never answer.

What was stolen were chems useful for making M80's. Dark aluminum and potassium percolate. Most of my stuff wasn't touched. It was very targeted.

So after hours of interrogation, I was given 2 options:
Sign this piece of paper surrendering all your pyro supplies for "safe keeping" or
We arrest you and take your stuff anyway. Threatened 25 years in prison for possessing basic chemicals.
Well, I'm talking to you now, so guess which way I went.
I mean it's ONLY 12-14K worth of chems and equipment that the state just ripped me off for. I have taken the matter up with my lawyer.

Fuels and oxidizers were separated in cabinets 4' apart.

The upsides are that I met and got to know a bit a really cool cop. Regret not asking for contact info.

The BS detective gave me contact info to appeal the seizure. So I might get my stuff back.

On the downside, I was told that I would get arrested if I ever ordered any pyrotectinical chems. So much for purchasing any cleaning products from GIANT or Home Depot.

PISSED OFF!

Allen65 · Feb 15, 2019

I guess the key question is were the materials possessed and stored IAW MD Fire Marshall and Federal BATFE regs? If so, yeah, you have good reason to be angry.

mtlcafan79 · Feb 15, 2019

MSP and I'm pretty sure BATFE took the president of the Crackerjacks fireworks club to the cleaners when he got ratted out by a disgruntled family member about 15 years ago for manufacturing fireworks in MD. I can't remember the exact charges and case search is down, but I'd consider yourself lucky. Unless something has changed in the last 10 years or so you would be required to have the correct licenses from both BATFE and MSP to do what you were doing.

tangent · Feb 15, 2019

Allen65 said:
I guess the key question is were the materials possessed and stored IAW MD Fire Marshall regs? If so, yeah, you have good reason to be angry.

I have no idea. I had brought up my hobby and was seeking a explosives manufacturing permit/licence with BATFE to manufacture black powder. The Fire Marshal may have been mentioned by them somewhere along the line. Next ppl to contact on my list was DoT.

Have a link to said regs?

Allen65 · Feb 15, 2019

tangent said:
I have no idea. I had brought up my hobby and was seeking a explosives manufacturing permit/licence with BATFE to manufacture black powder. The Fire Marshal may have been mentioned by them somewhere along the line. Next ppl to contact on my list was DoT.

Have a link to said regs?

https://mdsp.maryland.gov/firemarshal/Documents/Maryland%20Code%20%20Public%20Safety%20Article%20Title%2011%20-%20Explosives.pdf

11-114 (b) would be the relevant section:
Possession of explosives other than explosives for use in firearms without license prohibited.-Except as otherwise provided in this subtitle, a person may not possess explosives other than explosives for use in firearms in the State unless the person is licensed under this subtitle.

followed by 11-114 (g): Penalty.-Except as otherwise provided in § 11-116 of this subtitle, a person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 5 years or a fine not exceeding $5,000 or both.

tangent · Feb 15, 2019

Allen65 said:
https://mdsp.maryland.gov/firemarshal/Documents/Maryland%20Code%20%20Public%20Safety%20Article%20Title%2011%20-%20Explosives.pdf

11-114 (b) would be the relevant section:
Possession of explosives other than explosives for use in firearms without license prohibited.-Except as otherwise provided in this subtitle, a person may not possess explosives other than explosives for use in firearms in the State unless the person is licensed under this subtitle.

followed by 11-114 (g): Penalty.-Except as otherwise provided in § 11-116 of this subtitle, a person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 5 years or a fine not exceeding $5,000 or both.

Thanks, but I had no finished fireworks only chems and have never made anything but fountains in this state. My fav 2 fireworks are buzzbombs and roman candles are my favs. Both are banned in MD

I was threatened w 25 years

Allen65 · Feb 15, 2019

tangent said:
Both are banned in MD

I was threatened w 25 years

I'm waiting for MGA to just pass an omnibus bill making fun in any form, other than celebrating the greatness of the Party*, a felony in this state.

*Hopefully I don't need to spell out the name of the particular political party in question in these forums.

brownspotz · Feb 15, 2019

You've been a pyrotech for 40+ years and didn't know how the law works or doesn't in this state? Something doesn't add up. Let's hear the whole story.

tangent · Feb 15, 2019

brownspotz said:
You've been a pyrotech for 40+ years and didn't know how the law works or doesn't in this state? Something doesn't add up. Let's hear the whole story.

I grew up in Colorado and only moved out here for work.

I've only recently learned how malfunctional this corrupt and unconstitutional this state is.

Slackdaddy · Feb 15, 2019

Holy Moly,,
It is not the MD laws you should concern yourself with, it is all the federal laws you were breaking.
about 12-15 years ago I was involved in model rocketry with my kids, The BATF shut down the rocketry hobby for about 3-5 years.
They were going undercover to rocketry launches and gathering evidence, etc.
They considered the possession of ANY BP by a rocketeer as a jail able offence.

I am really surprised you aint in an orange jump suit.

welder516 · Feb 15, 2019

What promise would you believe from our state , they won't come after him ?? Somebody in the states attorney office gets this or catches wind it may change any chance of him losing just the product he still could lose his freedom . Play with fireworks you can get burned .

Rack&Roll · Feb 15, 2019

tangent said:
I grew up in Colorado and only moved out here for work.

I've only recently learned how malfunctional this corrupt and unconstitutional this state is.

You mean like this? (from another thread)

tangent said:
Yeah something I hate about this forum is when you spend a hour composing a post and a mod nukes it because they don't like what they see.

2SAM22 said:
That tends to happen when said post is about how to commit criminal acts.

welder516 · Feb 15, 2019

LOL

What is the purpose of this ?? somebody please explain

SavageShooter · Feb 15, 2019

25 yrs. hell drug dealers and criminals who murder people in this crap hole state and don't serve that much time.

Allen65 · Feb 15, 2019

I'd suggest at this point that the OP let his attorney do the talking.

tangent · Feb 15, 2019

Slackdaddy said:
Holy Moly,,
It is not the MD laws you should concern yourself with, it is all the federal laws you were breaking.
about 12-15 years ago I was involved in model rocketry with my kids, The BATF shut down the rocketry hobby for about 3-5 years.
They were going undercover to rocketry launches and gathering evidence, etc.
They considered the possession of ANY BP by a rocketeer as a jail able offence.

I am really surprised you aint in an orange jump suit.

That really surprises me.

There is actually a book out there on making model rocket motors.

also: https://makezine.com/projects/make-35/homemade-sugar-rocket/

yeah, banning sugar and poop would go over really well with the public. /rolleyes

for 3-5 years? never heard of this. And when and why did they stand down? I used to be into rocketry, but w estes rockets.

I've followed pyro forums and the gvmt cracking down on pyros is pretty much never mentioned, jumping through regulatory hoops sometimes, but rarely.

tangent · Feb 15, 2019

Allen65 said:
I'd suggest at this point that the OP let his attorney do the talking.

Yeah, he advised me not to say anything to the cops about this. Just venting because I'm really pissed. Think it's out of my system. Leaving it up to him now.

Allen65 · Feb 15, 2019

tangent said:
Yeah, he advised me not to say anything to the cops about this. Just venting because I'm really pissed. Think it's out of my system. Leaving it up to him now.

This is a public forum. Anything you post could become evidence against you in the future, even if what you're saying doesn't seem inculpatory to you.
There are a lot of folks here how keep posting "I will not comply" with any new anti-2A laws that are passed. I wish, for their sake, they wouldn't post that stuff.

silver78 · Feb 16, 2019

Some questions and a suggestion

First if the theft was very targeted as you said in your original post then someone had to know the chemicals were there. How do you think they knew about them?

Can you get a pyrotechnics license? If you want to get back over $10k worth of chemicals it may be worth it right?

If you ever do get your chemicals back I suggest that you get some better/stronger storage units to prevent future thefts.

Wish you the best on resolving your situation.

welder516 · Feb 16, 2019

tangent said:
Yeah, he advised me not to say anything to the cops about this. Just venting because I'm really pissed. Think it's out of my system. Leaving it up to him now.

Yeah , but i am sure your attorney is not happy you are here telling this story with the internet in an open forum section that non-members can see without even so much the trouble of thinking of a clever screen-name .

This has not a thing to do with Maryland 2A.

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