Not a good idea to break the law, particularly when you’re an FBI agent. Not only do you get jammed up in the legal system, but it becomes fodder for news organizations. And oh yes, there’s always a good chance you’re going to lose your job.
By Adriana M. Chávez
El Paso Times
EL PASO, Tex — An FBI agent accused of buying and selling weapons and ammunition without a license, then lying about it, was indicted Thursday by a federal grand jury.
John Thomas Shipley, 39, was charged with one count of dealing firearms without a license, four counts of causing a firearms dealer to maintain false records and one count of making a false statement to federal authorities.
FBI officials in El Paso said Shipley has been suspended without pay since March, but they would not say how long he has been an agent.
The indictment alleges that he bought and sold weapons and ammunition on the Internet from January 2005 to May 2008.
He is accused of posting firearms for sale more than 200 times.
