Calgun Foundation Wins Big Against Illegal Gun Seizure in California

The Calguns Foundation (CGF), a California gun rights non profit, successfully defended an innocent gun owner and secured a $35,800 settlement from the California city of Calexico. It’s about time we hear something like this; usually bad news for gun rights supporters is the only thing that ever comes out of California.

It all started when Ian James Farias was pulled over by an officer with the Calexico Police for an alleged traffic violation. Farias consented to a search of his vehicle, whereupon the officer spotted an unloaded shotguns in plain view in the back of Farias’ truck. Officer Alcaraz seized the gun and arrested Farias, locking him up in jail for nine hours before he was finally able to make bail and contact the CGF. 

So, what did Farias do to deserve getting arrested? Nothing at all. He was acting fully within his rights and complied with California and local laws. Attorneys from the CGF and the law firm Davis and Associates ensured that a criminal case against Farias was rejected, and they were so successful that they also secured a Finding of Factual Innocence (FFI) for Farias.

The FFI stated that, “no person of ordinary care or prudence [would] believe or conscientiously entertain any honest and strong suspicion that the person was arrested [or acquitted] was guilty.” Faris wasn’t just innocent, he was so innocent that the court agreed that nobody in their right mind wouldn’t even think he was guilty.

Farias and his lawyers took the case to Federal court to “seek recovery of damages and mandate proper training.” They won the case, earning Faris a fat check for $35,800 and the City of Calexico was required to institute a new training program about citizens’ firearm rights. 

After the victory CGF chairman Gene Hoffman warned California that “the more California and local governments regulate firearms, the more they will have to train their law enforcement officers — or be held accountable in court.”