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Man hot over gun permit
Staff writer
A Buffalo Township resident who went to the Washington County sheriff's office this week to renew a gun permit ended up having his permit revoked and facing a disorderly conduct citation.
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Main received a letter from the sheriff's department notifying him that his gun permit was going to expire in 60 days. Because it arrived on sheriff's department letterhead, he said, he considered the matter urgent and went to the Courthouse Square office on Monday.
After paying $25 to renew the permit, which expires Dec. 26, Main found that the new permit expired in October 2012. He said he felt the permit should have extended to December 26, 2012.
"I figured it was a clerical mistake. I got a little hot under the collar," Main said. "I was yelling some. I shouldn't have lost my temper, admittedly. I made them reissue the old permit, and they gave me the check back.
"The government penalizes me for anything I'm late on. They're taking money and time out of my pocket."
James D'Alessandro, chief deputy sheriff, said the five-year permit was issued in accordance with state law, expiring five years from the date of issue.
Either he or Sgt. Donald Jones told Main the office didn't have to issue a permit on the spot to carry a concealed weapon and could conduct a background check for up to 45 days.
Main said he took exception with the deputy's attitude.
"He was so irate in the office," D'Alessandro said. "If he's that type of a hothead in the office here, what would he be like in the general public?
"He's not going to come in the office and treat our personnel that way and think he's going to get away with it. They're not here to take abuse."
Main said he spoke on the phone with Sheriff Sam Romano about the deputy's behavior, and on Wednesday he received a certified letter notifying him that his gun permit had been revoked.
D'Alessandro said the disorderly conduct citation against Main has been in the works since Monday and that the decision to cite Main was not prompted by Main's phone call Wednesday to the Observer-Reporter.
He also said the sheriff's office has "discretion if someone acts in a bizarre manner or is a loose wire to void their permit."
Main said that in addition to calling the NRA, he plans to sue the sheriff's office.
Romano was not in the sheriff's office Wednesday afternoon.
