United States v. James Allen Star, United States of America v. Richard Everett Beatty, United States of America v. John Jack Crawford

The appellants, Star, Crawford, and Beatty, were convicted of conspiring to violate the Gun Control Act of 1968, Pub.L. No. 90-618 (the Act). In addition, Star was convicted on five counts of aiding and abetting violations of the Act. Crawford was convicted of two counts of possessing and transferring a destructive device. 26 U.S.C. §§ 5861 (d) and (e). Beatty was convicted on three counts of possessing a destructive device.

Star owned a service station in Beni-cia, California. In May, 1971, Star and his employee, Alan Burris, plotted to bomb the station of a competitor, Anthony Lavezzo. Crawford, the owner of a bait shop in Benicia, agreed to sell Star several bombs.

On June 4, 1971, Burris and his friend, Perry Blake, set out to bomb Lavezzo’s station. They went to Crawford’s bait shop where they bought three bombs for $45. Late that night, Blake and Burris placed two bombs near the gas pumps. One bomb exploded, and the police found the other unexploded. On June 6, Star told Burris to explode the third bomb under Lavezzo’s tow truck. Burris did this with help from Beatty, another Star employee.

On June 11, 1971, an informant told a local police officer that Burris was…