Houston ATF Industry Operations Director Arrested
 

Interesting story out of New Orleans....sounds like he was having a little fun in his hotel room while in town on business.

See:

http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2009/12/atf.html


Breaking News, Jefferson Parish Crime, Offbeat �
Federal gun regulator accused of damaging Metairie hotel room
By Michelle Hunter, The Times-Picayune
December 08, 2009, 7:10PM

An employee of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was arrested on charges of disabling the fire alarm system and damaging property in his Metairie hotel room, according to a Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office arrest report.

Russell Vanderwerf, 44, of Houston was booked Dec. 1 with simple criminal damage valued at $500 to $5,000 and interfering with fire prevention after staffers at the Residence Inn, 3 Galleria Blvd., began investigating a malfunctioning fire alarm system, the arrest report said.

A technician who was summoned Nov. 30 tracked the alarm problem to the second-floor room registered to Vanderwerf, the arrest report said. Inside, staffers found the smoke detectors in the bedroom and kitchen-den had been removed and the horn that blares alarms was hanging out of the wall.

But the staffers and a deputy sheriff also discovered that someone had removed the bedroom door from its hinges and replaced it with a 5-by-4-foot piece of plywood affixed to the frame and the drywall with hinges and screws, the arrest report said. The door had two locks attached from the bedroom side and a circular hole padded with duct tape. The deputy noted in the arrest report that the hole appeared to be used "in some sort of sexual act."

A front-desk staffer told authorities that she'd received a complaint from a hotel guest who said the door to that room had been propped open on the night of Nov. 30 and that she noticed several "young men" entering and exiting. The guest also complained of hearing "sex noises" coming from the room, the arrest report said.

Vanderwerf was taken into custody at ATF's New Orleans area field office, located at 1 Galleria Blvd. across the street from the hotel, the report said.

When questioned about the damage, Vanderwerf admitted to disabling the smoke detectors because he said they were repeatedly triggered by steam from his shower, the report said. He also admitted to putting up the plywood door but would give not other details.

The arrest report said hotel staffers found paint and caulk in the room, suggesting he might have intended to fix the damage himself.

The Sheriff's Office would not comment on the case Tuesday. Col. John Fortunato, spokesman for the agency, said the matter remained under investigation.

Vanderwerf was released from the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center on Dec. 2 on a $4,000 bond. He could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

He serves as the director of industry operations for ATF's Houston field office. The industry operations division is the regulatory arm of the agency, responsible for overseeing the inspection of all federal gun and explosives licensees, said ATF spokesman Drew Wade. He confirmed that Vanderwerf was in the New Orleans area on official business.

"We are aware of the arrest by the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office," said Wade, who added that he could not discuss anything that could be connected to a continuing investigation.

Re: Houston ATF Industry Operations Director Arrested
 

Glory hole.

Re: Houston ATF Industry Operations Director Arrested
 

I'm impressed. I would never thought it possible to bring a giant piece of plywood up to your room, saw holes in it and affix it to walls without the hotel staff getting suspicious.

Staff: "what are you doing with that 4x8 piece of plywood sir?"
Him: "Oh the beds are too soft, I need this to sleep on."

LOL.

Re: Houston ATF Industry Operations Director Arrested
 

I wonder why he really removed the smoke detectors... Does he know something that we don't? or is his steam story plausible?

Re: Houston ATF Industry Operations Director Arrested
 

Based on stories I have read about what they do in people's homes when they are exercising a search warrant this really doesn't surprise me.

Re: Houston ATF Industry Operations Director Arrested
 

I'd venture to guess that it was a nonsmoking room and some of his party goers were smokers or they were smoking other substances. Get room full of smokers and those things will go off, he certainly didn't want to risk that.

Re: Houston ATF Industry Operations Director Arrested
 

I'd have to say that you're probably right. This is one sick SOB. One of ATF's finest, no doubt.

Re: Houston ATF Industry Operations Director Arrested
 

Sounds fairly normal for New Orleans to me...

Re: Houston ATF Industry Operations Director Arrested
 

I do a lot of travel, and end up in hotels quite often. I've left the bathroom door open so the steam can help warm up the room while I'm in the shower.

Never had an alarm go off.

Re: Houston ATF Industry Operations Director Arrested
 

The bizarre feel to this story makes me suspect there was meth involved. Folks that smoke meth in a motel room have been known to disable the fire-prevention and alarms due to the use of propane torches and the nature of the vaporized product.

The above item also indicates meth use.

Re: Houston ATF Industry Operations Director Arrested
 

Hypothetical question. If you had the dirt on this BATFE man what would you do with the evidence?

Re: Houston ATF Industry Operations Director Arrested
 

Bury it in a safe place and save it for a rainy day. I wouldn't tell anyone about it less I end up with some self inflicted gunshot wounds.

Re: Houston ATF Industry Operations Director Arrested
 

But first I would share it with the GIM forum. :emotions16: