CA gunsmith (Chaz Cheshire CC Gunsmithing) stole pistol, fled to Austin

[kyletxria1911a1]

You find him yet,?

 

[tonelar]

what a story... Redwood City used to have the BEST GUN SHOP in the bay area
sadly that was a couple decades ago

hope you find your Colt

 

[alyeh]

Hey all,

Sorry for going radio silent for the past week, I’ve been on a work trip with poor internet. To answer a few questions about updates:

You find him yet,?

Not in person yet but I’m confident he’s in Georgetown. I had a buddy pose as a customer and message him on FB, asking for some work. He claimed he worked out of his home and was located at that Goldridge Dr address.

Based on the information you provided one would think it would warrant at least an inspection by them

I agree and I’d hope so but according to the ATF, confirming if/when an inspection occurs is LE confidential.

Red flag him. He stole your gun and you don’t know what his intentions are

Yup, it was reported stolen to Redwood City CA PD a couple days after the situation fell apart. A year later I submitted the dereg form to CA DOJ and got positive confirmation. However, 1) they won’t explicitly confirm its in NICS gun database and 2) the serial number is often misread from a manufacturer retype on the frame meaning someone could’ve mistyped the serial and entered it into NICS, assuming they even did.

18 U.S.C § 2314 deals with “transportation of stolen goods, securities, money, fraudulent state tax stamps, or articles used in counterfeiting.”

Needs to be valued at $5000 or more to be a federal offense. FBI primarily, but other fed agencies have jurisdiction as well.

Pretty much exactly what FBI told me as well. Apparently that’s the statutory amount, in practice though they apparently don’t even bother assigning an investigator unless it’s worth an “undisclosed” sum which far exceeds $5000 or if there are numerous amounts of calls.

There’s also the very realistic possibility it’s destroyed. An important detail I forgot to mention earlier, right before I took him to small claims court Chaz threatened to “mill the top of the slide right off” (his exact words) if he would be forced to return it. I took this to mean he would vandalize it to destroy its value as a form of retribution. Whether or not he actually did it I do not know.

Thanks again for all the support.

 

[Darqhelmet]

Are you his first victim and others came out? Or did you just not do research before handing over your firearm? Not trying to be a dick, but it sounds like you did zero due diligence prior to engaging with him.

 

[alyeh]

Are you his first victim and others came out? Or did you just not do research before handing over your firearm? Not trying to be a dick, but it sounds like you did zero due diligence prior to engaging with him.

I wasn’t the first. In fact three years prior he overdrilled a customers ruger mark IV, right into the barrel while trying to drill and tap scope threads. He ended up getting sued and having to pay the cost of replacement. Link is in my OP and also here https://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=1119782

Back then there was almost nobody who was able to take on the project, most had a long wait and even longer turnaround time so I was real desperate to find any gunsmith. Chaz said all the magic words and naive me back then believed all of it. He convinced me that the guy with the Ruger was at fault, he gaslit and manipulated the hell out of me and deflected all the blame from the naysayers online. So to answer your question, I had known beforehand but a combination of urgency and naïveté made me overlook all the warning signs. Chaz is actually very good with words and manipulating people and playing the victim card when he needs it. It’s scarily good, reminds me of Ted Bundy.

 

[Darqhelmet]

I wasn’t the first. In fact three years prior he overdrilled a customers ruger mark IV, right into the barrel while trying to drill and tap scope threads. He ended up getting sued and having to pay the cost of replacement. Link is in my OP and also here https://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=1119782

Back then there was almost nobody who was able to take on the project, most had a long wait and even longer turnaround time so I was real desperate to find any gunsmith. Chaz said all the magic words and naive me back then believed all of it. He convinced me that the guy with the Ruger was at fault, he gaslit and manipulated the hell out of me and deflected all the blame from the naysayers online. So to answer your question, I had known beforehand but a combination of urgency and naïveté made me overlook all the warning signs. Chaz is actually very good with words and manipulating people and playing the victim card when he needs it. It’s scarily good, reminds me of Ted Bundy.

So you were / are inpatient and got burned by entering bad business. Hopefully you learned something out of it.

 

[TheDan]

@alyeh Any of the photos on his FB page of your gun?

https://www.facebook.com/CCGunsmithing/photos

 

[leVieux]

Have you considered telling the DPS/Texas Rangers about this?

They may be more helpful, as a gun stolen from CA is likely to be here in TX now.

Many of the Rangers are really Good Guys, and may try to help you.

Welcome to TGT !

leVieux

 

[Axxe55]

Have you considered telling the DPS/Texas Rangers about this?

They may be more helpful, as a gun stolen from CA is likely to be here in TX now.

Many of the Rangers are really Good Guys, and may try to help you.

Welcome to TGT !

leVieux

Probably not in their jurisdiction, the alleged criminal act would have happened in California, not Texas. If I'm not mistaken, there would have to be a criminal complaint in California, or a warrant for any Texas LE to act on this.

 

[B. Wright]

That is horrible. I’m sorry you had to go through all of that.

 

[alyeh]

@alyeh Any of the photos on his FB page of your gun?

https://www.facebook.com/CCGunsmithing/photos

No. He only posted pictures of finished projects and considering mine was clearly unfinished and looked terrible, he obviously didn't post it. Back in 2018 he did post a picture on his Yelp page of my slide as a "rebuttal" to me confronting him that he hadn't done any work. The picture showed he de-soldered the front sight in the 8 months he had my pistol. That was it. The pic has got taken down a while ago and I can't find if I had saved it but I'll post it if I do. It was really poor craftsmanship.

Have you considered telling the DPS/Texas Rangers about this?

They may be more helpful, as a gun stolen from CA is likely to be here in TX now.

Many of the Rangers are really Good Guys, and may try to help you.

Welcome to TGT !

leVieux

Thanks for the insight. I'm sure there's a written statute in Texas criminal law for importing or bringing in stolen goods which would apply the moment he crossed the border with my gun (assuming that happened). Who's the more appropriate LE authority when it comes to something like that? Wikipedia tells me Texas has a Dept of Public Safety, a Highway Patrol, and Rangers???

 

[Axxe55]

No. He only posted pictures of finished projects and considering mine was clearly unfinished and looked terrible, he obviously didn't post it. Back in 2018 he did post a picture on his Yelp page of my slide as a "rebuttal" to me confronting him that he hadn't done any work. The picture showed he de-soldered the front sight in the 8 months he had my pistol. That was it. The pic has got taken down a while ago and I can't find if I had saved it but I'll post it if I do. It was really poor craftsmanship.

Thanks for the insight. I'm sure there's a written statute in Texas criminal law for importing or bringing in stolen goods which would apply the moment he crossed the border with my gun (assuming that happened). Who's the more appropriate LE authority when it comes to something like that? Wikipedia tells me Texas has a Dept of Public Safety, a Highway Patrol, and Rangers???

But any alleged criminal act would have taken place in California, not Texas. Despite what @leVieux may think, very unlikely the Texas Rangers are going to get involved. Any LE agency may even view this as civil case, rather than a criminal case.

 

[leVieux]

No. He only posted pictures of finished projects and considering mine was clearly unfinished and looked terrible, he obviously didn't post it. Back in 2018 he did post a picture on his Yelp page of my slide as a "rebuttal" to me confronting him that he hadn't done any work. The picture showed he de-soldered the front sight in the 8 months he had my pistol. That was it. The pic has got taken down a while ago and I can't find if I had saved it but I'll post it if I do. It was really poor craftsmanship.

Thanks for the insight. I'm sure there's a written statute in Texas criminal law for importing or bringing in stolen goods which would apply the moment he crossed the border with my gun (assuming that happened). Who's the more appropriate LE authority when it comes to something like that? Wikipedia tells me Texas has a Dept of Public Safety, a Highway Patrol, and Rangers???

The HighwayPatrol & Rangers are parts of Texas DPS. I said “Ranger” b/c they seem more likely to investigate on their own.

 

[Axxe55]

The HighwayPatrol & Rangers are parts of Texas DPS. I said “Ranger” b/c they seem more likely to investigate on their own.

Very unlikely. Sounds like you are more trying to romanticizing the exploits or stature of the Rexas Rangers than factual information about their duties.

Texas Ranger Division - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

The duties of the Texas Ranger Division consist of conducting criminal and special investigations; apprehending wanted felons; suppressing major disturbances; the protection of life and property; and rendering assistance to local law enforcement in suppressing crime and violence. The Texas Ranger Division is also responsible for the gathering and dissemination of criminal intelligence pertaining to all facets of organized crime. The Texas Ranger Division joins with all other enforcement agencies in the suppression of the same; under orders of the Director, suppress all criminal activity in any given area, when it is apparent that the local officials are unwilling or unable to maintain law and order; also upon the request or order of a judge of a court of record, Texas Rangers may serve as officers of the court and assist in the maintenance of decorum, the protection of life, and the preservation of property during any judicial proceeding; and provide protection for elected officials at public functions and at any other time or place when directed. The Texas Rangers, with the approval of the Director, may conduct investigations of any alleged misconduct on the part of other Department of Public Safety personnel.

Maybe @leVieux you would like to explain or show where the Texas Rangers have jurisdiction to investigate a criminal complaint originating in another state?

 

[Mohawk600]

@alyeh..............

sorry to say this, but you are going to get about as much resolution as the other member who stored $150 k worth of guns and ammo in a public storage facility.

 

[alyeh]

@alyeh..............

sorry to say this, but you are going to get about as much resolution as the other member who stored $150 k worth of guns and ammo in a public storage facility.

I'm assuming all of that was stolen? Sheesh... Do you have a link to that thread?
I've always thought that this case was pretty simple, it's not like there's much investigative work necessary. I already know who the suspect is and where he lives, the hard part was (and still is) convincing someone halfway across the country to help me.

 

[Mohawk600]

Its the thread right under this "theft rom storage"

 

[Axxe55]

I'm assuming all of that was stolen? Sheesh... Do you have a link to that thread?
I've always thought that this case was pretty simple, it's not like there's much investigative work necessary. I already know who the suspect is and where he lives, the hard part was (and still is) convincing someone halfway across the country to help me.

Your problem is that more than likely, LE is classifying your case as a civil case, rather than a criminal case. If that is what's happening, LE isn't going to get involved in the case. LE has no jurisdiction in civil matters. Until you can somehow prove a criminal act occurred, no one in any LE agency is going to get involved.

Either hire an attorney to sue the gunsmith, or just chalk it up to a bad experience and move on.

Chances are, you will spend a lot more hiring an attorney that what the pistol is worth.

 

[benenglish]

Your problem is that more than likely, LE is classifying your case as a civil case, rather than a criminal case. If that is what's happening, LE isn't going to get involved in the case. LE has no jurisdiction in civil matters. Until you can somehow prove a criminal act occurred, no one in any LE agency is going to get involved.

My ex-BIL got into the business of searching out widows of coin collectors, offering to sell the coins for them, giving them $100, and then stealing entire collections. LE would not get involved because he had paid some money so they viewed his rip-offs as being a civil argument about the rate of payment, not a criminal act. He was eventually prosecuted only after my sister provided an affidavit outlining his bad acts and offering to testify. There had been 15 or 20 formal complaints and eventually some 55 separate victims were identified. Still, LE didn't want to do anything about it until the numbers got very big and they had a retired federal officer ready to testify.

I hate to say it but in this case if his victims don't work together and hand LE a fully developed case on a silver platter, I don't see any justice being done.

 

[Axxe55]

My ex-BIL got into the business of searching out widows of coin collectors, offering to sell the coins for them, giving them $100, and then stealing entire collections. LE would not get involved because he had paid some money so they viewed his rip-offs as being a civil argument about the rate of payment, not a criminal act. He was eventually prosecuted only after my sister provided an affidavit outlining his bad acts and offering to testify. There had been 15 or 20 formal complaints and eventually some 55 separate victims were identified. Still, LE didn't want to do anything about it until the numbers got very big and they had a retired federal officer ready to testify.

I hate to say it but in this case if his victims don't work together and hand LE a fully developed case on a silver platter, I don't see any justice being done.

I just don't see a good resolution for the OP in this matter. It gets pretty tricky and complicated because of where he's located and where the initial act took place and now the POS gunsmith has relocated to Texas, possibly further adding complications to the incident that took place.

And I'm sure most in LE would prefer to classify the act as civil rather than criminal, since that absolves them of any responsibility in going any further with the case and puts the burden on the OP instead.

I'm guessing the OP will have to decide for himself how much time, energy and money is worth expending on this going forth.