By: Friedrich Seiltgen

Copyright © 2022

On Monday May 9, 2022, Federal agents arrested a north Florida father and son, charging them with three counts: (possession of firearms not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record); 26 U.S.C. § 5861(e) (unlawful transfer of firearms); and 18 U.S.C. § 1715 (mailing firearms capable of being concealed on the person).

Dustin Eward & Greg Eward were running a business from their Live Oak residence called Eward research, along with a website and Facebook account under www.gunthreadadapters.com.  The pair were selling “Solvent Traps” that can be converted into suppressors.

The criminal complaint also charges Dustin Eward with 18 U.S.C. § 875(c) (interstate threats to injure the person of another.)

THE INVESTIGATION

I read the 102-page criminal complaint, which details the government’s case against the Eward’s, and I will summarize.  The complaint is VERY thorough, documenting the investigation and the charges.  It also documents Dustin’s claims that Federal Agents were out to kill him, and his support for Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh.

According to the criminal complaint, one of the incidents that got the ball rolling in this investigation was the following:

Multiple Firearms Purchase and Attempted Purchase of Machine Gun Parts

In December 2019, Dustin attempted to buy four M2HB (Browning .50 Caliber Machine Gun) Retracting Slide Assemblies from a Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) in Pennsylvania, through the FFL’s website.  I have reviewed ATF and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) correspondence regarding this attempted purchase.  The FFL contacted HSI agents because the transaction appeared to be suspicious.  First, the retracting slide assembly is generally sold to FFLs in quantities of one, along with an NFA endorsement to manufacture machineguns.  Based on my consultation with ATF, I’ve learned that while a retracting slide assembly does not require a federal firearms license to transfer, typically it is sold to individuals or businesses with licenses in accordance with the manufacturing and transferring of machine guns.  Next, the FFL checked the ATF’s FFL database and did not find Dustin’s name or his shipping address.  Moreover, the FFL looked up the IP address associated with the purchaser in the transaction and discovered that the IP address was assigned to a Thailand internet service provider (ISP) that routed to Thailand with the encrypted email address: [email protected].

THE CHARGES

The two main charges are the sale and transfer of unregistered suppressors & threats against Federal Law Enforcement Officers.  As for the suppressors, the case agent explains it in the complaint like this:

Based on my training and experience, and my consultations with ATF agents, I have learned that a solvent trap, the item that Dustin told FBI agents he sold, is marketed as a device that attaches to the muzzle of a firearm barrel. It allegedly is designed to catch or trap dirty cleaning solvent pushed through the barrel from the chamber end and out through the muzzle.  Solvent traps are purportedly intended to prevent solvent from dripping, spraying, or spattering when pushed out the muzzle end of a firearm barrel.  But as further described below, Dustin also provided 3D printed tools with his solvent traps. These tools allow an end-user to drill center holes in the baffles and the front endcap, thus assembling a firearm silencer.

The charge of Threats Against Federal Law Enforcement Officers is well documented.  Dustin Eward made multiple threats, on multiple dates, in multiple forums, including his personal blog aptly named Conventional Stupidity!

I also reviewed posts that Dustin made on www.conventionalstupidity.com on January 5, 2022.
These posts contained statements about Dustin’ s intent to kill federal employees of multiple federal agencies.  These statements include the following:

  • “If you’re reading this, and I know you are, FBI, IRS, DEA, ATF, SEC, FDA … I will choose my words just as carefully and with full knowledge of their meaning. I will kill you. I want to kill you.  I have a moral obligation to kill you … “
  • “You are the enemy. I will kill you.”
  • “Leave me alone. This is your final warning. After this, I will kill and kill and kill until it doesn’t feel good anymore.”

On January 13, 2022, FBI NTOC received an anonymous tip from a person who read a threat.

THE ARREST

Dustin Eward was arrested by FBI agents, without incident, outside the Suwannee County Courthouse annex in Live Oak, Florida. His son, Greg, was apprehended in Lake City, Florida during a traffic stop.  If convicted, Dustin Eward faces a 20-year maximum in prison; Greg faces a 10-year maximum sentence.

That’s all for now folks!  Please keep sending in your questions, tips, and article Ideas.  And as always – “Let’s Be Careful Out There”

Friedrich Seiltgen is a retired Master Police Officer with 20 years of service with the Orlando Police Department.   He conducts training in Lone Wolf Terrorism, Firearms and Active Shooter Response.  His writing has appeared in RECOIL, The Counter Terrorist Magazine, American Thinker, Homeland Security Today, and The Journal of Counterterrorism & Homeland Security International.  Contact him at [email protected]