ORC 2923.14 Restoration of Firearms Rights

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Island Runner
Posts: 19
Joined: Wed Jun 17, 2015 2:49 pm
Location: Mercer County

Re: ORC 2923.14 Restoration of Firearms Rights

Post by Island Runner »

I agree 100% with that above JustaShooter. I have studied up on the Abramski case. Believe me, I have worked for well over 3.5 years and spent lotsa $ to get to the point I am in my rights restoration and have lived a very clean and law abiding life for the past 17 years. No one could me convince to jeopardize those rights again. Very quick and easy to lose, very long and hard to get back.
Island Runner
Posts: 19
Joined: Wed Jun 17, 2015 2:49 pm
Location: Mercer County

Re: ORC 2923.14 Restoration of Firearms Rights

Post by Island Runner »

By the way, I called the FBI again last night and asked how the FBI actually does the NICS check and now that Ohio BCI had finally sealed my record, how that would impact my results. Their answers were good, bad, and mixed with riddles that warrant another call to them today.

First, the agent told me that if Ohio BCI had actually sealed my record yesterday, than there is no delay whatsoever in when the FBI can see that. Once sealed it shows in the database as sealed instantaneoulsy. Good news right? Well kind of.

Next the agent told me that even if my record is sealed, the FBI still has access to the sealed record and WILL open that record to see the original conviction. He told me that this would almost certainly result in a delay of a transfer. During this delay they would scrutinize the wording contained in the sealing order and if the wording is not in the correct terms, they will then deny. He said he did not know the details on what wording was really needed. Not so good news!

So I then asked if when they looked in my sealed record that they would be able to also see that I have been granted full relief from statutory disability and he said that he highly doubted that. He doubted that because the sealing of the record is a completely separate order from the court and really has nothing to do with the sealing of a record. Pretty disheartening!

He did assure me that when my VAF application if processed or during my appeal, that they will then look at the court order that grants me relief form disability but to his knowledge that is the court document that actually restores my rights cmes into play. After stating that my VAF application has been in their hands for over 10 months now, I asked what kind of time frame I am still looking at. He stated that they are adding more people to handle the backlog, said he was not able to give out any type of definite timeline, but then also told me that it could take up to 12 more months! That would put my wait for a VAF at almost 2 years!

So I guess I will attempt to purchase again next weekend when my father-in-law comes over. If denied, file another appeal and wait, wait, wait for my VAF to be processed. The thing that bothers me most about this is they have my certified court order that restores my rights right at their fingertips! The last 2 agents I talked with were both able to pull it up in my appeal file, examine it, and tell me everything is in place as it should be, when they finally get around to process it! That {inappropriate language} me off to no end! Why is this info/document not available to the agent that does the NICS check but is available to every customer service rep agent I talk to there! I will add that every agent I have spoke with at the BCI and FBI has been very nice, courteous, helpful, and considerate of my frustration. On the other hand, I truly believe the "system" itself is designed to hinder, overwhelm, confuse, frustrate, and intimidate people out of trying to challenge it. Or just take so damn long to challenge it that you die off before any resolution is reached. Either way, I wish this experience on no one and if any one is reading this for info on how to do it for themselves, the best advice I can give is prepare for long long waits and don't give up.
Island Runner
Posts: 19
Joined: Wed Jun 17, 2015 2:49 pm
Location: Mercer County

Re: ORC 2923.14 Restoration of Firearms Rights

Post by Island Runner »

UPDATE AND CONCLUSION

Well my friends, I finally reached the end of my fight to restore my firearms rights!!!

Yesterday I got home from work to find a nice big envelope from the U.S. Dept. of Justice Federal Bureau of Investigation in my mailbox. After 12 months of waiting for it and checking my mailbox daily, there it was. And yes, I was very pleased with what was inside.

To sum up 7 pages worth, they concluded (and which I already knew) that "you are eligible to posses and/or receive a firearm" and my appeal was successful and my denial to purchase was overturned. I was given a certificate to take to my FFL if I wanted to proceed with the original purchase with stated NTN. As for my VAF application, I was given a letter stating that I was not being denied a VAF UPIN, but was not going to be issued a VAF UPIN because the prohibiting factor was resolved with Ohio BCI and that issuing me a VAF UPIN would "not assist" me in any way in any future purchase attempts as now there are no known prohibitors are associated with my identity to warrant a denial in future transactions. FINALLY!!!

Lucky for me, there is a local CHL class in 3 days which I am now registered for! I foresee zero problems moving forward in my quest and will update accordingly.

As a side note here, and this may be a complete coincidence, but less than 2 weeks ago I wrote Senator Rob Portman describing in detail what was happening with VAF application and my NICS denial appeal and how unreasonable all the wait times are. I also filled out all the required waivers and forms associated with asking his office for help with gov't agencies and sent his office all my relevant documentation. Though I was never contacted by Senator Portman's office nor did I ever receive any correspondence from them, I can't help but think they had something to do with giving the FBI a swift kick in the butt and getting my cases pushed through. You be the judge.
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Chuck
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Re: ORC 2923.14 Restoration of Firearms Rights

Post by Chuck »

Congratulations!
Ain't activism fun?

"Associate with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation; for it is better to be alone than in bad company. " - George Washington

"I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something.
And because I can not do everything, I will not refuse to do the something I can do.
What I can do, I should do. And what I should do, by the grace of GOD, I will do."
- Edward Everett Hale (descendant of Nathan Hale)
Island Runner
Posts: 19
Joined: Wed Jun 17, 2015 2:49 pm
Location: Mercer County

Re: ORC 2923.14 Restoration of Firearms Rights

Post by Island Runner »

FINAL UPDATE

Well, great news. I turned in my application on Monday June 20 and after checking my mailbox everyday for the last 2 weeks, my approval letter from the sheriff was in my mailbox Saturday July 2! Will be at the sheriff's office first thing Tuesday morning morning to pick up my license!

The system does work, just at a snails pace, especially on the federal level. Be persistent, make the 50 phone calls, cross all your T's and dot all your I's, and wait wait wait. Hopefully someone else will find this thread useful. Thanks everyone!
Island Runner
Posts: 19
Joined: Wed Jun 17, 2015 2:49 pm
Location: Mercer County

Re: ORC 2923.14 Restoration of Firearms Rights

Post by Island Runner »

As another update, I do now have my Ohio License to Carry a Concealed Handgun!

As another side story, and how I thought Senator Rob Portman's office had something to do with getting the FBI NICS Div. off it's butt and getting and my appeals and VAF application processed, I know for a fact now that they helped me. Yesterday I received a letter from Senator Portman stating that he was happy to have helped me and imagined I was more than pleased with the results! He also included a copy of a 5 page letter from the FBI NICS Div. to him that explained in detail the answer to every question he must have made to them in his inquiry about the unjustly long wait times for appeals and VAF applications. The tone of the letter to Senator Portman from the FBI was, for lack of better terms, definitely CYA (Cover Your butt) mode. Whatever Senator Portman did, he sure has helped me. Not only am I amazed that he was willing to help me but I am also amazed he was able to get the FBI to process my appeal and VAF application and have them in my mailbox within 10 days, although that is after I had been waiting for over a year and half already! I am very grateful for his help and wish there was a better way to thank him than sending a thank you letter. Amid all the political turmoil our country is in right now and my disdain for the Federal Govt., this has restored my faith in at least one member of the Senate.

For anyone in a similar situation as I was in, call or write your Senator! The FBI may say that VAF applications or appeals are done in the order in which they are received, but I can attest to the contrary. It seems like the squeaky wheel gets the grease.
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Chuck
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Re: ORC 2923.14 Restoration of Firearms Rights

Post by Chuck »

We are trying to get him to come to the PITP
If he does, you'll have a chance to thank him in person
Ain't activism fun?

"Associate with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation; for it is better to be alone than in bad company. " - George Washington

"I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something.
And because I can not do everything, I will not refuse to do the something I can do.
What I can do, I should do. And what I should do, by the grace of GOD, I will do."
- Edward Everett Hale (descendant of Nathan Hale)
mpickles
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Joined: Wed May 04, 2016 2:52 pm
Location: Lawrence County, Ohio

Re: ORC 2923.14 Restoration of Firearms Rights

Post by mpickles »

Glad to hear this was successful for you, IslandRunner. I'm having an issue now where I've been "delayed" on two firearm purchases in a row (first went through after two days, timer for the second is up on Wednesday) and have thus been looking into submitting an application for a UPIN. I just wanted to post updated links in case anyone else needs to go through this process as the one posted by MWSY has been removed over the weekend.
"A license is what you get when the government steals your rights away from you and then sells them back."
- Mark Edge
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