Ark. doctor ordered held on weapons charges

Mar 10, 5:33 PM EDT

Ark. doctor ordered held on weapons charges

By DANIEL SHEA
Associated Press Writer

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) -- A doctor charged with stockpiling more than $1 million worth of machine guns and grenades was ordered Tuesday to remain in custody pending his federal trial.

U.S. Magistrate H. David Young said he was unconvinced that Dr. Randeep Mann, 50, would remain in the country if allowed to go free on bond. Mann is a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from India.

Mann, of London, Ark., faces charges of possessing machine guns that weren't federally registered in his name and possessing explosives only permitted for military use. After city workers uncovered a canister of 98 grenades near Mann's property last week, federal agents searched his home on March 4 and found 110 fully automatic machine guns and grenades made to be launched from military rifles.

"There's no doubt substantial pressure on (Mann) to flee," Young said, noting that agents also found $50,000 in cash during the search.

In his ruling, Young told Mann that he didn't have "an accurate picture of your financial wherewithal, and you also have contacts outside the country that would make it much easier than for another individual for you to flee the country."

Authorities said Mann, an internal medicine specialist, has a permit from the federal government to sell registered machine guns. Agents testified that Mann had 110 machine guns, but at least four were not federally registered in his name, as is required under the National Firearms Act.

They also said he kept weapons around the house, including loaded pistols in the bedroom and machine guns on the floor and in closets and safes.

"If you were shot with it, the round would cut you in half," said David Oliver, a special agent for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, of a tripod-mounted sniper rifle found in Mann's house.

Hhmmphh!

"...a tripod-mounted sniper rifle..."

My first thought with this limited propaganda piece is paperwork infraction and will have to wiat until more information comes to light.

WP