Case RSC-CM-9251 Affidavit of Probable Cause Filed 05/21/2026 Page 1 of 6
IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE
STATE OF RIDGEWAY
AFFIDAVIT OF PROBABLE CAUSE
I, c4j2y, hereby depose and state as follows:
I. INTRODUCTION AND OFFICER BACKGROUND
1. I am a Captain for the Specialist Branch within the Ridgeway County Sheriff’s Office (“RCSO”),
and have been employed as such since March 25th, 2026. I am a Law Enforcement Training Center
certified individual, having possessed my certification since February 25th, 2026.
2. As a result of my employment, I am empowered by statutory law to conduct investigations and
effectuate arrests for offences committed under the Ridgeway Criminal Code (“RCC”). I have
undergone training in identifying probable cause and possess significant experience in day-to-day
policing, as well as special operations.
3. This is a statement made in support of the arrest warrant and summons issued against velatial,
pursuant to Rid. R. Crim. P. 3(f)(2). The facts and information in this statement are based upon my
training, experience, personal knowledge, and observations. This statement contains the information
necessary to establish probable cause for the criminal information and is not intended to include
every fact and matter observed by me.
4. Based on the information and evidence gathered, I have probable cause to believe that Mr. velatial
committed the following offenses:
a. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF GOVERNMENT-ISSUED EQUIPMENT (R.C.C. §2.23)
ON SEVENTY SEVEN COUNTS;
b. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A FIREARM (R.C.C. §2.26) ON TWENTY FOUR
COUNTS;
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c. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A FIREARM WITH INTENT TO SELL (R.C.C. §2.27)
ON THREE COUNTS;
d. UNLAWFUL STOCKPILE OF GOVERNMENT-ISSUED EQUIPMENT (R.C.C. §2.24)
ON TWO COUNTS.
II. APPENDIX OF EVIDENCE
EXHIBIT ID AND LINK SUMMARY OF EVIDENCE
Exhibit A Video recording depicting execution of search warrant
issued by Magistrate Judge AdamStratton on or about
May 14th, 2026.
Exhibit B Search warrant receipt issued by the Ridgeway County
Sheriff’s Office (“RCSO”) following the execution of the
aforementioned warrant.
III. SUMMARY OF OFFENSE CONDUCT
5. On May 14th, 2026, I detained Mr. velatial based on credible information received that he was the
subject of an active search warrant issued by Magistrate Judge AdamStratton. This was confirmed
after running his name within the radio channel.
6. After detaining Mr. velatial, I transported him to the RCSO Headquarters located near the City of
Palmer to execute the search warrant in accordance with department policy and state law. Upon
executing a search of Mr. velatial’s vehicles, I uncovered a total of one hundred and one (101)
firearms within his possession. The items discovered within Mr. velatial’s possession were as
follows:
a. Seventy-seven (77) Stetson “M2-M” military-issued automatic assault rifles;
b. Twenty-three (23) Stetson “M2-A” automatic assault rifles;
c. One (1) Stetson “Cardiac-5” automatic submachine gun.
7. At the time of the search, Mr. velatial was not in possession of an Advanced Firearms License
(“AFL”), the firearms license that is required under state law to possess an automatic firearm, nor
was Mr. velatial acting in any official capacity as a member of the Ridgeway National Guard
(“RNG”) or law enforcement agency, nor otherwise authorized to possess those firearms according
to state law.
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IV. PROBABLE CAUSE
8. Unlawful Possession of Government Equipment (R.C.C. §2.23) is defined as anyone who
“possesses any government-issued equipment in any off-duty or civilian storage device, capacity, or
other inventory, when that possession is not authorized by State law or departmental policy.”
a. At approximately 0:50 in Exhibit A, the video depicts a search inside the trunk of a Grey
Gridlock with the license plate GEI484, a civilian vehicle owned by Mr. velatial, containing
thirty-one (31) Stetson “M2-M” rifles. The contents of the vehicle are reaffirmed in Exhibit
B.
b. At approximately 2:08 in Exhibit A, the video depicts a search inside the trunk of a second
Grey Gridlock with the license plate ZMG527, a civilian vehicle owned by Mr. velatial,
containing an additional five (5) Stetson “M2-M” rifles. The contents of the vehicle are
reaffirmed in Exhibit B.
c. At approximately 3:10 in Exhibit A, the video depicts a search inside the trunk of a Pink
Actila with the license plate EMW657, a civilian vehicle owned by Mr. velatial, containing
a single Stetson “M2-M” rifle, along with twelve (12) boxes of 5.56 ammunition. The
contents of the vehicle are reaffirmed in Exhibit B.
d. At approximately 3:17 in Exhibit A, the video depicts a search inside the trunk of a Blue
Tremor Cobral with the license plate WBY479, a civilian vehicle owned by Mr. velatial,
containing another Stetson “M2-M” rifle, along with an additional eleven (11) boxes of 5.56
ammunition. The contents of the vehicle are reaffirmed in Exhibit B.
e. At approximately 3:40 in Exhibit A, the video depicts a search inside the trunk of a Grey
Actila Sport with the license plate KEV884, a civilian vehicle owned by Mr. velatial,
containing another Stetson “M2-M” rifle, alongside twelve (12) boxes of 5.56 ammunition.
The contents of the vehicle are reaffirmed in Exhibit B.
f. At approximately 3:40 in Exhibit A, the video depicts a search inside the trunk of a second
Grey Actila Sport with the license plate VPV309, a civilian vehicle owned by Mr. velatial,
containing seven (7) Stetson “M2-M” rifles. The contents of the vehicle are reaffirmed in
Exhibit B.
g. At approximately 4:35 in Exhibit A, the video depicts a search inside the trunk of a third
Grey Gridlock with the license plate XRD976, a civilian vehicle owned by Mr. velatial,
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containing an additional thirty-one (31) Stetson “M2-M” rifles. The contents of the vehicle
are reaffirmed in Exhibit B.
h. In total, seventy-seven (77) Stetson “M2-M” rifles were confiscated inside of Mr. velatial’s
civilian vehicles, a well-recognized civilian storage device. Based on my training and
experience, and the facts within my knowledge at the time, Mr. velatial was not an active
member of the Ridgeway National Guard (“RNG”) or a member of any law enforcement
entity authorized to carry a military-grade firearm, nor was Mr. velatial otherwise authorized
to store the firearms inside a civilian storage device pursuant to departmental policy or state
law, thereby acting contrary to R.C.C. §2.23.
9. Unlawful Possession of a Firearm (R.C.C. §2.26) is defined as anyone who “possesses any firearm
or ammunition without being in possession of a valid Ridgeway Firearms License, or who
possesses a weapon, firearm, or ammunition that was sourced from an illegal dealer.”
a. During the search as previously described in ¶8b, twenty three (23) Stetson “M2-A”
automatic rifles were recovered alongside the Stetson “M2-M” firearms.
b. At approximately 3:25 in Exhibit A, the video depicts a search inside the trunk of a Grey
Actila Sport with the license plate JTB221, a civilian vehicle owned by Mr. velatial,
containing a single Stetson “Cardiac-6” automatic submachine gun. The contents of the
vehicle are reaffirmed in Exhibit B.
c. Based on my training and experience, and the facts within my knowledge at the time, Mr.
velatial did not possess an Advanced Firearms License (“AFL”), the required Ridgeway
Firearms License for holding any firearm capable of automatic fire, thereby acting contrary
to R.C.C. §2.26.
10. Unlawful Possession of a Firearm with Intent to Sell (R.C.C. §2.27) is defined as anyone who
“possesses a combined ten (10) or more firearms which are illegal for that person to be in
possession of.”
a. During the previously described searches in ¶¶8a, 8g, and 9a, Mr. velatial had weapons
caches of firearms that exceeded the statutory threshold of ten firearms across three (3)
different civilian vehicles.
b. Based on my training and experience, and the facts within my knowledge at the time, Mr.
velatial was not legally able to have the aforementioned firearms within his possession, as
he did not have an Advanced Firearms License (“AFL”), the required Ridgeway Firearms
License for holding any firearm capable of automatic fire, nor was otherwise able to possess
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the firearms by virtue of employment in the Ridgeway National Guard (“RNG”) or a law
enforcement agency, thereby acting contrary to R.C.C. §2.27.
11. Unlawful Stockpile of Government-Issued Equipment (R.C.C. §2.24) is defined as anyone who
“possesses 10 or more pieces of government-issued equipment in any off-duty or civilian storage
device, capacity, or other inventory, when that possession is not authorized by State law or relevant
departmental policy.”
a. During the previously described searches in ¶¶8a and 8g, Mr. velatial was in possession of
restricted, military-grade firearms that exceeded the statutory threshold of ten pieces of
government-issued equipment across two (2) different civilian vehicles.
b. Based on my training and experience, and the facts within my knowledge at the time, Mr.
velatial was not legally able to have the aforementioned firearms within his possession, as
he was not able to possess the firearms by virtue of employment in the Ridgeway National
Guard (“RNG”) or a law enforcement agency, or otherwise authorized to do so through state
law or departmental policy, thereby acting contrary to R.C.C. §2.24.
V. CONCLUSIONS AS TO PROBABLE CAUSE FOR A COMPLAINT
1. Based on the above factual allegations, it is the belief of the undersigned affiant that probable cause
exists that Mr. velatial has violated:
a. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF GOVERNMENT-ISSUED EQUIPMENT (R.C.C. §2.23)
ON SEVENTY SEVEN COUNTS;
b. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A FIREARM (R.C.C. §2.26) ON TWENTY FOUR
COUNTS;
c. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A FIREARM WITH INTENT TO SELL (R.C.C. §2.27)
ON THREE COUNTS;
d. UNLAWFUL STOCKPILE OF GOVERNMENT-ISSUED EQUIPMENT (R.C.C. §2.24)
ON TWO COUNTS.
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I affirm under the pains of perjury that all the above information is true and correct to the best of
my knowledge.
Being authorized to prosecute the offenses charged, I approve this information.
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