Photo: KGW

No charges for Oregon pastor who claimed he gave an AR-15 to a friend

Photo: KGW
Photo: Jeremy Lucas, courtesy of KGW

Portland, Ore. – The District Attorney for Clackamas County declined to press charges against Jeremy Lucas, the man claimed he had given an AR-15 to a friend for safe keeping.

Oregon State Police said the complaint against Lucas was based on media reports that he had unlawfully transferred a firearm to a private party.

Portland NBC affiliate KGW reports Lucas, who won the auction in a raffle, intended to turn the rifle into a piece of art. “Having one less AR-15 in the world would really not be a bad thing,” said Lucas. “It’s one less gun that will ever hurt anyone.”

That transfer would have violated the Oregon Firearms Safety Act. The law passed last year says you cannot sell, gift or loan a gun to anyone but a direct family member without first doing a background check through a licensed gun dealer.

In a letter to Oregon State Police, D.A. John Foote wrote in part, “None of the witnesses nor documentary evidence obtained by Oregon State Police prove that an actual “transfer” occurred. The suspect’s statement to the media that he gave it to someone for safe keeping is insufficient to prove that it did happen. Additionally the investigation fails to prove that even if the transfer did occur, that it was not to any of the permissible transferees. Without the name of the transferee in this case, I don’t think we could ever have a prosecutable case. Therefore I am declining prosecution for insufficient evidence.”

OSP says the case is now considered closed pending the development of new leads or information.

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