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Rowland indicted on federal firearms violation


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Murfreesboro businessman James Christopher “Chris” Rowland was indicted by a federal grand jury on two counts of weapons violations.

Rowland of state Route 99 (New Salem Highway) was arrested and charged Friday afternoon with possession of a machine gun and possession of an unregistered firearm.

He was accused of possessing a Rock River Arms .223-caliber machine gun and failing to register it.

Rowland faces a maximum 10-year prison term and a $250,000 fine.

Federal agents raided Rowland’s home and brother-in-law Jeremy Chad Smotherman’s home in September 2007 on Warrior Drive across from Riverdale High School as part of an investigation stemming from a $6 million illegal narcotics operation.

In court documents filed last year, Internal Revenue Service Agent William Desantis accused Rowland and Smotherman of money laundering as “sham owners” of real estate and engaging in large money transactions with defendants indicted in a $6 million narcotics operation.

Rowland and Smotherman were accused of filtering drug money from defendants through houses in Hendersonville, Desantis stated in court documents. Both Rowland and Smotherman worked in real estate in September 2007 when and federal agents searched their homes and offices.

Attorneys for Rowland and Smotherman have said their clients are not involved in money laundering.

Smotherman and business partner Michael Bryan Krabousanos were indicted and charged Friday with money laundering and bank fraud.

Federal authorities said Friday the investigation is ongoing.

In a statement, President Mark Rowland of Prudential Rowland Real Estate stated, “We have received word today that Chris Rowland is to be arrested within hours or days.
While Chris is my brother, and I love him very much, he has no affiliation with Prudential Rowland Real Estate. He is not an employee of this company, and he has no leadership role at all with this company.

“Our family stands by Chris in this difficult time,” Mark Rowland stated. “Right now, our concern is for our excellent employees, hardworking agents, faithful clients and the fine individuals and families who we are privileged to call our customers.

“Prudential Rowland Real Estate continues its full operations as always,” Rowland stated. “This situation in no way affects our strong commitment to our employees, agents, clients and customers.”
 
 
 
Tagged under  Chris Rowland, Crime, Drugs


Member Opinions:
By: Trvlace on 2/27/09
I guess they wouldn't turn state's evidence so they went ahead and busted them for what they had them on already. There will be more to come on this case I bet. 10 years or $250K, nah he will get away with much less. Probation and a small fine probably.

By: bradford on 2/27/09
CONGRATS they finally dug up a charge on a hard woking family man who they didnt have anything on in the first place!Think about it if they find a gun in your car when stopped for speeding do they wait months to come get you NO!Thanks for gettin a known good guy off the sreets while the killers and drug dealers are killing our loved ones and taking there friends out to eat and to the movies!GREAT JOB hope you sleep well at night because this mans life has been turned upside down again!!

By: missymomof4 on 2/27/09
Bradford
No one is guilty until proven that way but just because some people might not be using the drugs or killing people does not mean they are not involved. Someone gets the drugs to the little guys. I hardly think they did nothing wrong. Too much evidence to the contrary.

By: tnlonestar on 2/27/09
Bradford you must be a friend or a client? Did he bail you out of jail or somthing? I've heard things about this guy for a long time & met him myself. He did for some reason keep up close & personal to some people he bonded out of jail. Most were drug dealers i knew of. Thanks to the feds that got them because Murfreesboro wouldn't have. I hope the fed's dig alot deeper on Murfreesboro buisness men, Because this is just a small fish.

By: thetruthguy on 2/28/09
my opinion keps getting a few minutes after i post it here i guess you can t have an opinion about anyone that spends alot of money on ads in your newspaper
its hard to be an open forum when you re getting paid alot by the people that are the subject of this story
enjoy the money you get from them you ll never see a cent of my money again

By: Macgyver on 2/28/09
thetruthguy, that statment is very correct!

By: bradford on 2/28/09
you know what tnlonestar I bet if I said your real name people would have things to say about you to unless you are the only person in the world that everyone likes I dont know of anyone that has never had untrue crap about and as far as friends of people that get bailed out ever hear of compassion and tring to make a difference and helping someone get there life togahter,or helping a family no probally not you are to quick to judge based on rumors you have heard from someone with a grudge.Get real!I still stand beside him he is a good family man and the only ones paying for this is his family and our tax dollars!

By: thetruthguy on 2/28/09
bradford you must have been bailed out of something very deep to be so grateful and loyal to this scum
you re so right about untrue crap and good family man the dea,fbi,irs, and various other forms of law enforement do raids in several different locations at same time as part of a big operation simply to bring down a big operation of angels like the ones you defend
thats one reason i don t go to church i m afraid i ll be next to one of these good god fearing angels that are such a good family man and a raid or shoot out go down

By: bradford on 2/28/09
everyone is so quick to judge just because someone with a badge says something how many cops or feds get in trouble for drugs,beating there spouse or other things you dont know do you.Not all cops are bad put not everything tou hear from some of them is true either,have tou ever had any dealings with Mr. Rowland prob not you just belive what you hear that happens to be the worst if you had not heard this about him and I told you the good things you would not care cause its good and not drama and why must you think he is scum i might thinks you are scum cause someone told me that but I dont because I dont know you,and here is a ? for you if you had a frind or family member that got put in jail would you leave them there or would you help them and still be there for them?Everybody is quick to judge the bad things tou are accused of doing but no one cares of the good things people do in life.A wise man once said people like to see you do good,just not better then them!there is only one judge in life and we will all face him one day!everyone needs to remember carma always wins so do and think what you will!The truth will be known soon enough!

By: thetruthguy on 2/28/09
bradford you re right i ve never had dealings with him since i don t buyguns or drugs i ve never needed to deal with and his family stated clearly in the story above that he s not in real estate business since you know him so well what is his business
i really don t want to play a game of stupid with you because i can already see that you an unfair advantage seems you ve been playing for years if you belive what you post

By: bradford on 2/28/09
all I can say to you friend is may god have mercy on you petty soul!!!!!!!!!! and I hope you never have children that are as narrow minded as you.Good luck in life you will need it!

By: Farmall on 3/2/09
I thought this was supposed to be all about illegal drugs and so forth. I guess the DEA and other 3 letter acronyms couldn't find much. So months and months of investigation and nothing found other than a gun in a car.

By: sgtpepper on 3/2/09
OMG what is it with you people. First, from what I hear the gun was found in a locked room in the offices where he works. Second, chris owned a lot of different businesses. He was in boxing, real-estate, bail bonds (he sold along time ago) car lots. He also loaned money from time to time. What if gun was collateral for such a loan and he had no idea anything was wrong with the gun. Look at what they returned to him, cars, money and property. To me they spent a lot of tax payer money for one gun now they have to justify the expense. Third I hear at the time of the raid enforcement had to call in an expert to determine if the gun was illegal or not. How could a common every day guy know if it took and expert to determine. Why don't all you stick to a debate and not get so personal.

By: Newbie on 3/2/09
Being a gun owner, isn't it your own responsibility to make sure your gun or a firearm in your dwelling or place of business is illegal or legal so you’re not put in a position like this? This is all I'm asking. I’m not attacking his character or anything else. If you search the web about gun laws it varies about certain calibers so he might not have known nor had the thought of checking it out. But don't you think his own brother would have said a little more in his defense than saying more about his business?

By: sgtpepper on 3/5/09
His brother would if he could, The gun charge is a far cry from what was originally said about chris and his family. It is ashame he will have to go through a lot of crap over loaning a buddy some money on a gun the buddy had a right to posses.

By: sarobbins1973 on 3/5/09
Unreal , It is so simple to pass judgement on someone . This man is innocent until a court of law convicts him , until then you folks to to simply mind your on business .


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