[artherd]

A news article is circulating alleging that I "Impersonated an Officer". I have not been charged with a crime. These allegations are untrue, and I expect to have my good name, and reputation, fully restored in short order. In the interim, I have determined that it is in the best interest of Calguns.net, and The Calguns Foundation, that I immediately, and temporarily, resign from my positions with both entities. I have assembled a legal team that is in the process of investigating identity theft and defamation attempts.

Based on advice from my attorneys, I am unable to make further comments or statements at this time.

-Ben.

Please contact Art Chambers at:
Law offices of Art Chambers (415)-775-2144"


UPDATE 03-16-2010 : All charges dismissed.

It's nice to be able to talk about this - but I am only going to comment so much as we now have pending litigation against those involved.

The facts so far.

I was arrested and my house raided for allegedly pulling someone over with a red light and badge somewhere in or near Santa Rosa. None of what was found at the scene of the alleged crime was found in my possession - yet prosecution commenced.

Trouble is I was 100 miles away in Sacramento that entire day with multiple witnesses, Cellphone GPS records, phone calls, and text messages, and signed credit charge receipts to prove it.

The story gets more interesting from here, as someone contacted many of my peers with a slam piece on me 5 days prior to the alleged incident "The typical situation is a single woman driving at night on a lonely stretch of road…" I find that incredibly interesting, especially since several hundred people know I am an Engineering Contractor and member of the ASCE (lawfully required to have amber strobes.) An FCC Technician's license (ham radio = 'police scanner' and PA.) and as for the handcuffs? http://www.handcuffgadgetinsurance.c.../handcuffs.gif

The story gets more interesting from here, there will be some interesting cases filed in the days and weeks ahead, we are already pursuing a Finding of Factual Innocence and Expungement, as well as other remedy.

[cntrolsguy]

Go Get em and hurry back!

[pitchbaby]

SUCK!!! In the short time I have been here, I have come to respect you Art.... both on the forums, and in the PM's. I trust that whatever it is, you are in the right. Hope to see you back soon!

[SJgunguy24]

Good luck Ben.

[Fate]

Don't you just hate it when they kiss and tell?


Good luck!
Beat them with your night stick and hurt them real, real bad...
-(ZZ Top)

[PatriotnMore]

Although this is the first I have heard of the accusation, I am glad we are hearing from you before the accusation/story.

Here is hoping you clear your good name quickly, so you can get back to important issues.

[CSACANNONEER]

Good luck and let us know if/how we can help!

[ohsmily]

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?sec...bay&id=7276282

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article...748/1033?tc=ar

http://www.sonomanews.com/articles/2...5624548835.txt

I hope you prevail.

To everyone. Let the investigation and facts play out. Be objective. Don't be swayed by the media.

[Big Jake]

Good luck and come back soon!

[PRKArms]

The news story in question:

Man arrested after impersonating police officer, pulling over driver


Published: Saturday, February 13, 2010 at 10:05 a.m.
Last Modified: Saturday, February 13, 2010 at 10:05 a.m.
A 29-year-old Petaluma man was arrested this week for impersonating a police officer after he allegedly pulled over a female driver just east of Sonoma and asked for her identification.

#forumnumcom h6 {width:250px;float:left;margin:18px 10px 0 0;padding:10px 0 15px;border-bottom:none;border-top:9px solid #888}
The victim said she was traveling westbound on Napa Road on Feb. 2 when the man, later identified by police as Benjamin Philip Cannon, signaled her to stop. She said the man's car displayed a red light.
She told Sheriff's deputies that the man, who was wearing plain clothes, quickly flashed what appeared to be a badge and asked for ID.
Sheriff's officials said the victim felt uncomfortable about the encounter and asked that a marked patrol car respond to the scene. She told deputies that the man became uncomfortable, returned to his vehicle and drove away.
The victim then contacted the Sheriff's Office, whose violent crimes investigation unit “developed” Cannon as a possible suspect, according to a Sheriff's Office statement.
The victim positively identified Cannon as the suspect and Sheriff's detectives initiated surveillance. After detectives located him, he was arrested at his home on the 1100 block of East Sunnyslope Road.
After obtaining a search warrant, detectives searched his residence and car, a silver 2001 BMW. Inside the BMW, detectives found a police scanner, strobe light, handcuffs and a siren.
He was arrested for impersonating a police officer and false imprisonment and booked in Sonoma County Jail. His bail was set at $10,000.
The Sheriff's Office statement said the victim's request for a marked police car “may have deterred the suspect and prevented a more serious incident."
Lt. Scott Dunn said that drivers who are stopped by unmarked vehicles displaying emergency lights should proceed with caution but acknowledge the vehicle "perhaps by signaling out the window.”
“Proceed to a safe location, perhaps to a firehouse, a police station if you know where one is or an occupied gas station,” Dunn said, adding that it may very well be a Sheriff’s detective conducting a traffic stop.
“If you don’t acknowledge it, then we start to consider that perhaps it’s a pursuit,” he said.
For reasons of law enforcement security, Dunn would not reveal the types of unmarked vehicles used by Sheriff’s detectives. But he said it’s unlikely such vehicles would be “high end” sports cars.
Also, Dunn said the state vehicle code has a number of strict regulations that outline what type of emergency lights can be used by law enforcement agencies and other first responders.
He said that in California, all emergency vehicles are mandated to have a steady red light in conjunction with whatever other color lights are used. The state vehicle code also mandates that only law enforcement vehicles can use a blue light.
Dash-mounted lights are not uncommon but the single light on the roof of the car is unlikely. “Personally, I don’t know of any agency that uses a single, Kojak-type light on the roof,” he said.
Sheriff's officials ask that anyone who may have encountered a similar situation or anyone with information about this case please contact Detective James Naugle at (707) 565-2185.
— Martin Espinoza, The Press Democrat

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article...ng-over-driver

I can't imagine Ben would get caught up in anything like what they claim he did.

[Roadrunner]

Ok, I'm not going to be judgmental, but let's see, a red light, siren, handcuffs, badge, and pulling someone over. The alleged victim identified the person she believes pulled her over. What part of that is not true?

[cpsca]

Originally Posted by Roadrunner

Ok, I'm not going to be judgmental, but let's see, a red light, siren, handcuffs, badge, and pulling someone over. The alleged victim identified the person she believes pulled her over. What part of that is not true?

I don't post here often, but if there is one thing that I've learned it's that things are NEVER as they appear. I wouldn't be too hasty to make ANY type of judgement.

[Alaric]

This is a troubling development that I vehemently hope is not politically or otherwise illegitimately motivated. Ben, I wish you all the luck in clearing any false allegations against you.

I am curious how these items allegedly wound up in your car: police scanner, strobe light, handcuffs and a siren - according to the media reports. I know you can't and won't comment on that while your prosecution is pending, so I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

[lumwilliam]

I was just about ready to condem Artherd, then I read:

the Sheriff's Office...violent crimes investigation unit “developed” Cannon as a possible suspect

What the heck does that mean? Sounds like they had been gunning for him! Whatever is happening, it's scary!

[G17GUY]

Originally Posted by lumwilliam

I was just about ready to condem Artherd, then I read:

the Sheriff's Office...violent crimes investigation unit “developed” Cannon as a possible suspect

What the heck does that mean? Sounds like they had been gunning for him! Whatever is happening, it's scary!

That is wierd.

[Kestryll]

Originally Posted by Roadrunner

Ok, I'm not going to be judgmental, but let's see, a red light, siren, handcuffs, badge, and pulling someone over. The alleged victim identified the person she believes pulled her over. What part of that is not true?

Please remember, Ben can not answer questions nor give any information out.
This is EXACTLY the same advice we all give members who post about firearms cases and it applies here as well.

At this point speculation serves no real purpose so let's keep it to a minimum.

I will say this however, I've seen the car in question personally and when I saw it the only red lights on that car were brake lights. I have every reason to believe that Ben is innocent of the charges described.


I know this will be a topic people will want to discuss and that's fine, let's just remember that questions can't be answered and speculation is exactly that.

[elrcastor]

best of luck in this!!!

[NorCalMama]

Originally Posted by Roadrunner

Ok, I'm not going to be judgmental, but let's see, a red light, siren, handcuffs, badge, and pulling someone over. The alleged victim identified the person she believes pulled her over. What part of that is not true?

Be VERY careful to jump to conclusions... I just watched a Dr Phil episode where two separate women were raped by a black male. They identified who they were POSITIVE was the perp. In fact, one of the women positively identified the same man in a photo and in a police line up.
Those men spent many years in prison for the crime until the day and age of DNA evidence came about. Once they took samples, it was discovered that in spite of something as credible and persuasive as the witness/victim testimony, both men were found innocent and released from prison. Interestingly enough, one of the two women found her real attacker and found that he was nearly identical to the man she wrongly accused.

Things may not always be as they seem. Ultimately, this could EASILY be a false ID on the part of the woman... let this play out and try to remain neutral until ample evidence comes out.

[Alaric]

Originally Posted by lumwilliam

I was just about ready to condem Artherd, then I read:

the Sheriff's Office...violent crimes investigation unit “developed” Cannon as a possible suspect

What the heck does that mean? Sounds like they had been gunning for him! Whatever is happening, it's scary!

"Developing" a suspect is a common term used in the practice of criminal justice when an investigation points to a particular suspect. No TFH here, this is to be expected terminology.

One other note, having grown up in the Sonoma County area. This region has a long history of cops and fake cops pulling over people (particularly lone females) and assaulting them. The police are particularly attuned to this crime and allegations of it. I recall female family members "training" one another on how to deal with being pulled over there back 15-20 years ago.

[B Strong]

Ben, I hope everything comes out OK for you.

[leelaw]

Originally Posted by lumwilliam

the Sheriff's Office...violent crimes investigation unit “developed” Cannon as a possible suspect

What the heck does that mean? Sounds like they had been gunning for him! Whatever is happening, it's scary!

It does stand out to me, but it could be taken as "let's run the description across our database of people we've had contact with in the past" either by partial license plate match, physical description, vehicle make/model, etc.

I doubt it's something like "let's throw our dart against the picture board of Slick-Willies-we-haven't-been-able-to-nail-yet and see who we go bugger."

The presence of a strobe is interesting, but could easily be a strobing flashlight and they're being meek with the details. The siren (Ben - you carrying around a rape alert again? ) is another oddity. Handcuffs and radio scanner ("police scanner" is a misnomer, since it's rare to find one tha tis limited to police frequencies) are non-issues, but add to the totality of the circumstances in certain situations.

[paladin4415]

Originally Posted by Roadrunner

Ok, I'm not going to be judgmental, but let's see, a red light, siren, handcuffs, badge, and pulling someone over. The alleged victim identified the person she believes pulled her over. What part of that is not true?

You would probably be surprised, but a lot of it may not be true. Let's all try to sit back and see how this plays out without a lot of guessing on our part.

[Kestryll]

Okay, I've figured it out.

The strobe and the siren were for a rave Ben was throwing, gotta have the lights and noisemakers for the dancing.
The radio scanner was to make sure they could scatter before johnny law showed up to break up the party.
The handcuff, well one of the DJs was cute and a bit wild so...

I'm just guessing here so remember, none of this is to be taken as factual or even rational.

[aplinker]

There's no mention of tell-tale donut boxes or paraphernalia, either, so I'm quite certain he's innocent.

I'll be hoping this all gets taken care of quickly and easily.

Originally Posted by leelaw

It does stand out to me, but it could be taken as "let's run the description across our database of people we've had contact with in the past" either by partial license plate match, physical description, vehicle make/model, etc.

I doubt it's something like "let's throw our dart against the picture board of Slick-Willies-we-haven't-been-able-to-nail-yet and see who we go bugger."

The presence of a strobe is interesting, but could easily be a strobing flashlight and they're being meek with the details. The siren (Ben - you carrying around a rape alert again? ) is another oddity. Handcuffs and radio scanner ("police scanner" is a misnomer, since it's rare to find one tha tis limited to police frequencies) are non-issues, but add to the totality of the circumstances in certain situations.

[Neuvik]

Heck I have all that stuff....and different color filters for the lights....(Harbor freight rocks!)


But this certainly is a good way to quash a local advocate of the 2nd Amendment.

[djbooya]

Originally Posted by NorCalMama

Be VERY careful to jump to conclusions... I just watched a Dr Phil episode where two separate women were raped by a black male. They identified who they were POSITIVE was the perp. In fact, one of the women positively identified the same man in a photo and in a police line up.
Those men spent many years in prison for the crime until the day and age of DNA evidence came about. Once they took samples, it was discovered that in spite of something as credible and persuasive as the witness/victim testimony, both men were found innocent and released from prison. Interestingly enough, one of the two women found her real attacker and found that he was nearly identical to the man she wrongly accused.

Things may not always be as they seem. Ultimately, this could EASILY be a false ID on the part of the woman... let this play out and try to remain neutral until ample evidence comes out.

And the issues with Eyewitness Testimony:

http://agora.stanford.edu/sjls/Issue...er&tversky.htm

[leelaw]

Originally Posted by Neuvik

Heck I have all that stuff....and different color filters for the lights....(Harbor freight rocks!)


But this certainly is a good way to quash a local advocate of the 2nd Amendment.

Somehow I doubt a 2A-quashing conspiracy here.

[BKinzey]

Looks bad, but then......

I've been reading lately how bad eyewitnesses can be. Lots of mistakes on the witnesses part and lots of mistakes on how suspects are, or aren't, presented.

Witness didn't identify the car.

No badge found.

Handcuffs? So what?

Siren. I have one of those. It's hooked up to my car alarm.

Looking below this post window I see others have hit this so I'm stopping here.

[sammy]

I hope they get it cleared up quick. Good luck to you.

[Alaric]

Originally Posted by Kestryll

Okay, I've figured it out.

The strobe and the siren were for a rave Ben was throwing, gotta have the lights and noisemakers for the dancing.
The radio scanner was to make sure they could scatter before johnny law showed up to break up the party.
The handcuff, well one of the DJs was cute and a bit wild so...

I'm just guessing here so remember, none of this is to be taken as factual or even rational.

Wow Kes, you are way more hooked into the rave scene than I would've thought. I'm having flashbacks to the early 90's.

[hoffmang]

Everyone should be comfortable that Ben has good legal representation. Of course this is not a CGF case, but I know we'll all be rooting for this to be over quickly so he can get back to his regularly scheduled volunteerism for the cause.

-Gene

[pitchbaby]

Originally Posted by Kestryll

Okay, I've figured it out.

The strobe and the siren were for a rave Ben was throwing, gotta have the lights and noisemakers for the dancing.
The radio scanner was to make sure they could scatter before johnny law showed up to break up the party.
The handcuff, well one of the DJs was cute and a bit wild so...

I'm just guessing here so remember, none of this is to be taken as factual or even rational.

If this happened in the last 24 hours, then.... hell.... I'd buy this version of the story... LOL!!!

[djbooya]

All this could be mistaken identity...could be this guy:
https://www2.cslb.ca.gov/OnlineServi...?LicNum=884900
who runs this:
http://www.cbc-construction.net/experience.html

Another Ben Cannon that lives in the 707...

and here I thought Ben Cannon was a pretty unique name..

[ke6guj]

Originally Posted by djbooya

All this could be mistaken identity...could be this guy:
https://www2.cslb.ca.gov/OnlineServi...?LicNum=884900
who runs this:
http://www.cbc-construction.net/experience.html

Another Ben Cannon that lives in the 707...

and here I thought Ben Cannon was a pretty unique name..

Its the same Ben Cannon.

Previously, Mr. Cannon was the founder, President, & CEO of CBC Construction & Engineering, and Cannon Aerospace. As head of Cannon Aerospace, Mr. Cannon managed & produced, under government contracts, airborne night vision surveillance systems. He has been recognized by 3 governmental branches for his achievements in airborne sensor systems integration and realtime recording. At CBC, Cannon headed a Performance Bonded Prime contractor program and has been influential in several important California infrastructure projects. Prior to Cannon Aerospace, Mr. Cannon founded Cartesian Systems Internet, an ISP/NSP, in 1994.

[Skidmark]

If some guy is running around impersonating a Police, let alone targeting and harassing women, I hope he's apprehended and convicted.

[Beatone]

I wish you best in beating this accusation.

[SteveH]

Assuming the charges are without merit, good luck.

[Telperion]

Games the police and media can play:

police scanner = ham radio
strobe = fancy flashlight or bicycle signaling light with blinking LEDs
siren = bullhorn/announcer that has a siren button

Be careful accepting what is written at face value.

[SteveH]

Originally Posted by cpsca

I don't post here often, but if there is one thing that I've learned it's that things are NEVER as they appear. I wouldn't be too hasty to make ANY type of judgement.

They are just as often exactly what they appear until we pay lawyers to muddy the waters.

[gotgunz]

IBTL !!!