North Carolina Man Convicted of Firearms Charge

July 28, 2008
Sioux Falls, South Dakota

United States Attorney Marty J. Jackley announced that a Lake Lure, North Carolina, man was found guilty by a jury of being an unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of a firearm Richard Turner Parmley, age 30, was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 26, 2007. He stood trial in federal court before the Honorable Charles B. Kornmann on July 22 and 23, 2008. He was found guilty on July 23, 2008. On August 30, 2007, while driving a GMC SUV, Parmley was stopped for a traffic violation by a South Dakota Highway Patrol trooper. The trooper noticed that Parmley had watery and glassy eyes. Parmley gave consent to search the SUV. The search of the SUV revealed a small amount of marijuana and a Mossberg pump shotgun equipped with a tactical light and pistol grip. Parmley was taken into custody and a urine sample was obtained from him. The urine sample showed that Parmley had been using marijuana. Parmley was booked and released from jail. The next day Campbell County Sheriff Lacey Perman and Northern Plains Safe Trails Task Force Officer Al Bohle went to the Point of View Resort near Pollock where Parmley was living. They interviewed Parmley. Parmley admitted that he knew the Mossberg shotgun was in the SUV the previous day. He said that he had purchased the shotgun at a pawnshop in Rock Hill, South Carolina. Parmley also admitted that there were firearms, marijuana and a marijuana pipe at the Point of View Resort. A search of the buildings at the Point of View Resort revealed three more shotguns, a rifle, a pistol, marijuana, and a marijuana pipe. The six seized firearms had been transported across state lines before being seized by law enforcement in South Dakota. This case was investigated by the South Dakota Highway Patrol, Mobridge Police Department, Campbell County Sheriff’s Office, Northern Plains Safe Trails Task Force, and ATF. The case was prosecuted by Assistant US Attorney John E. Haak. Parmley remains on bail pending sentencing, which is scheduled for October 22, 2008.

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