March 1993
Sean Twomey applies for a Federal Firearms License to sell guns.

April 1993
A compliance inspector from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) contacts Twomey. The inspector advises Twomey of his obligation to comply with federal, state and local regulations. And despite a local ordinance restricting the dealing of firearms from a residence, Twomey is issued a Federal Firearms License.

1993
Nearly 250,000 Federal Firearms Licenses are in circulation. That same year, approximately 39,595 Americans die by gunfire.

1994
An estimated forty percent of all gun transactions are made in the secondary, unregulated market.

1994
The 1994 crime bill passes, which requires federal firearm licensees to be interviewed by an ATF inspector, prove they have a place of business, as well as certify compliance with all state and local laws.

1996
President Clinton announces the Youth Crime Gun Interdiction Initiative (YCGII), which tries to identify the sources of illegal guns. With the YCGII, law enforcement agencies trace more and more recovered guns.

March 28, 1996
The ATF calls Twomey about his Federal Firearms License, which is due to expire June 1 of that year. With the backing of the 1994 crime bill, the ATF tells Twomey they cannot recommend reissuing his license due to the local ordinance.

Sept and Oct 1996
Twomey sends a forged copy of a license to gun distributors Southern Ohio Guns, Nationwide Sports and Jerry's Sport Center. Of all three retailers, only Jerry's Sport Center told the ATF of their suspicions that the license was forged.

Nov 20-22, 1996
An ATF special agent visits Twomey's house, leaving his business card. Twomey's lawyer contacts ATF. The ATF tells the lawyer that Twomey's license has expired and he is prohibited by law from buying guns with it.

1997
The ATF makes a little more than 13,000 on-site inspection visits, at which rate it would take the ATF seven years to visit all of the Federal Firearm Licensees.

February - July 1997
Twomey orders at least 699 guns.

July - Aug 1997
A sales clerk at Southern Ohio Guns identifies a second license sent in by Twomey as a possible forgery and contacts the ATF. The ATF contacts Twomey and he flees to Hawaii.

Aug 11- Oct 15, 1997
Twomey returns to the Bay Area and orders over 400 guns from Nationwide Sports.

Sept 3, 1997
San Francisco Police Department pulls over a van, finding crack cocaine, ski masks, bullet-proof vests and two semiautomatic Glocks with lasers. ATF traces one gun back to Twomey.

Oct 9, 1997
Provident Central Credit Union in Oakland, CA is robbed. Of the three guns, one was ordered by Twomey on Sept 16, 1997 -- 24 days earlier.

Nov 5, 1997
Lynette Allen is shot with a gun traced back to Twomey.

February 3, 1999
Malik Howse and Andrew West are found guilty of first-degree homicide in the murder of Lynette Allen and the attempted homicide of Samuel Helm. They are currently incarcerated at the California State Prison in Sacramento where they are serving sentences of 35 years to life for attempted first degree murder.

April 1999
Twomey's ex-girlfriend calls the police. She reports that Twomey registered for a California Drivers license under a fictitious name. The police call Twomey who once again flees -- this time to Las Vegas.

May 18, 1999
Twomey returns and is arrested. He is later sentenced to serve 71 months at the Federal Correctional Institution in Safford, Arizona.

2000
The Clinton Administration announces EZ check, which allows distributors to check if a Federal Firearms License is valid via the Internet. However, it is still not mandatory to check a license's validity.

2001
Due in large part to the 1993 Brady law and the 1994 crime bill, there are now around 100,000 Federal Firearms Licenses.

September 25th, 2002
California Governor Gray Davis signs into effect several pieces of important gun legislation. The Gun Trafficking Prevention Act, due in large part to the Twomey case, requires gun dealers and manufacturers to check the validity of a federal firearms license with the California Dept. of Justice.

2002
The ATF National Tracing Center conducts 240,000 trace requests of guns used in crimes.

2004
Twomey's release date is January 2004. He has a web classified ad where one can send him email correspondence.

back to top