[center:1ty4jqx3]BATF, Others Seek Ammo-Marketer[/center:1ty4jqx3]
An individual who has marketed a wide variety of ammunition types and brands, primarily in the Northwest, is the subject of a wide and multi-agency federal investigation.
The marketer, who has gone by the name "Ymir Jule Kloety Van Laar Tyrvaldsen" as well as a number of similar combinations, is known by the the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms as Arthur Rex Rochelle. The agency says the man is a convicted felon.
Most recently the proprietor of J.D.M. (Jute Defense Munitions) Research Industries Inc. of Portland, Oregon, Rochelle is being sought by the BATF, U.S.Customs, the Postal Inspection Service, Multnomah County Sheriff's Office and the fraud division of the Portland Police Bureau.
Documents released by BATF Special Agent Cheryl Glenn showed Rochelle operated under a variety of other business names as well, all of which were discovered during a search of Rochelle's residence. Among these were J.D.M. Sales. D.M. Laboratories and Prometheus Laboratories. Ammunition products have been sold by Rochelle under the names Glaser Plus. Sicherheit Blitz. J.D.M. Security Ammunition. J.D.M. Mach II. Blitz Sicher and Lake City Nickel Match Brass. The suspect showed at least five different addresses in Olympia, Washington, Portland and Gresham, Oregon.
BATF's Agent Glenn said Rochelle is a "slick operator specializing in white-collar con games." Despite the rather intense government scrutiny, she indicated that he is still in business. Glenn has contacted everyone listed in business documents and records seized during the search.
The government alleges an extensive list of offenses ranging from selling sporting optics secured from such manufacturers as Tasco, Leupold and Simmons obtained for testing and evaluation ostensibly for articles in various publications, to taking deposits for firearms and accessories without the ability or intent to deliver them. The Bureau particularly wants to determine if Rochelle represented himself as having a federal firearms license of any sort and whether any of the ammunition he sold contained "bullets that are attracted to a magnet."
Over the past year, Rochelle's activities were cautioned against in a wide variety of publications and in full page advertisements taken by Glaser Safety Slugs president Kurt Cannon, in Gun List and Shotgun News.
Persons in the firearms and outdoors trades who have had contact with Rochelle and any of his various enterprises are asked to contact BATF in Portland, or Sgt. John Verheul of the Portland Police Bureau Fraud Division.