Did Van's have an ATF problem?
William McHenry isn't quite ready to go to prison. Convicted of lying to a bankruptcy court. the former associate of Lamar Adams in the Madison Timber scheme filed a motion to continue his sentencing hearing in U.S. District Court Wednesday.
McHenry filed a Chapter 7 bankruptcy petition in 2021. Madison Timber Receiver Alysson Mills objected to the bankruptcy, arguing McHenry lied in his bankruptcy filings. The Receiver "examined" the defendant under oath at a debtor's exam in 2021. McHenry did not provide all of the records requested and "could not identify the source of any deposit into his bank accounts and could not explain how he covers his monthly expenses."
McHenry couldn't help himself but lied and told the Court he did not sell any firearms.* Prosecutors disclosed at trial that McHenry sold 113 guns for over $80,000 to Van's Outdoors. A Van's employee testified about the transaction.
The bankruptcy was discharged in 2023 but the federal grand jury indicted McHenry for making false statements to the bankruptcy court.
The case went through the usual paces and finally went to trial this week. The jury found McHenry guilty after deliberating for 20 minutes.
At trial, the jury heard testimony from an employee at Van’s Outdoors, Inc. (“Van’s”) who testified that Mr. McHenry sold firearms to Van’s on multiple occasions between 2019 and 2021. She also testified that Van’s is a Federal Firearms License holder and is required to follow certain laws and regulations pertaining to the documentation of sales and purchases of firearms. The timing of the sales was a critical issue in the case, because the government alleged "that Mr. McHenry lied about selling certain firearms during his bankruptcy period between January 2020 and running through April 2021. 6. Since his conviction, Mr. McHenry was informed for the first time that Van’s may have undergone an ATF inspection during the same time period that resulted in punishment or corrective measures resulting from incorrect or incomplete record keeping. 7. On April 7, 2026, Mr. McHenry submitted a request to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”), 5 U.S.C. § 552, for records created on and between 1/1/2018-12/31/2021, pertaining to Vans Outdoors, Inc. to include, but not limited to violations, suspension(s) of licensure, revocation(s) of licensure; report(s) on violations including any corrective actions; warning letters; any records pertaining to warning conference(s), or any other records of regulatory violations. 8. Mr. McHenry is requesting that sentencing be continued to allow time for the ATF to respond to his FOIA request to learn whether any information exists that could form the basis to support a Motion for New Trial.
McHenry faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison and/or a $250,000 fine.
The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan, III. Judge Jordan will sentence the defendant on May 28 at 9.
3 comments:
Bill,
Just because Van's may be guilty of something, that does not make you innocent.
What is the status with the Baker Donelson timber trial that started back in April? I can’t believe we haven’t heard an update on it by now.
If a half truth is a lie then government employees are allowed to lie in court
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