Prosecutors say Wisconsin police chief helped California gun dealers import illegal ammunition

California Brothers Face Prison Time in Wisconsin Armor-Piercing Ammunition Scheme

Two California brothers could serve up to five years in federal prison for allegedly recruiting a small-town Wisconsin police chief to help them illegally import nearly half a million rounds of armor-piercing ammunition into the United States, according to federal prosecutors.

Jacob and Darin Dowd, who operated a gun dealership in Vacaville, California, became the focus of a federal investigation after submitting what authorities describe as a fraudulent application to import restricted ammunition. Court records indicate that in June 2021, Jacob Dowd applied to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to import approximately 490,000 armor-piercing rounds from Smart Energeo Sistemi, an arms manufacturer based in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Federal law generally prohibits the importation of armor-piercing ammunition but provides exceptions for law enforcement agencies. The Dowds’ application claimed the ammunition was intended for “law enforcement sales” and included a purchase order for 1.5 million rounds purportedly from the Town of Linn Police Department in Wisconsin, a community of just 2,700 residents.

This unusual purchase order immediately raised red flags for investigators. “TLPD is a small police department,” prosecutors wrote in court documents. “It had no intention to purchase the ammunition, had no funds to purchase the ammunition, and had no legitimate use for that ammunition.”

According to prosecutors, the brothers approached James Bushey, then police chief of Linn, through a Wisconsin resident identified in court documents only as “J.W.” Media reports suggest this intermediary was one of Bushey’s former roommates. The alleged scheme involved Bushey signing a fake purchase order to support the Dowds’ import application in exchange for financial assistance to purchase police vehicles and equipment that would help advance his career.

Bushey reportedly agreed and created the fraudulent order on department letterhead. Wisconsin Public Radio reported that the town board initially approved the arrangement after Bushey allegedly misrepresented the deal, telling board members that the Dowds would donate the ammunition to the police department. Court documents indicate Bushey concealed from the board that he would receive payments for submitting the fraudulent order.

The brothers’ ultimate plan, according to prosecutors, was to sell the ammunition to “other buyers,” though court documents don’t identify these potential customers or suggest the ammunition was intended for use in any attack. The ATF eventually intervened and halted the importation.

The legal consequences for the brothers have already begun to unfold. Darin Dowd was charged with conspiracy in July 2023 and pleaded guilty in October, though he has yet to be sentenced. Jacob Dowd was charged with conspiracy last week and has agreed to plead guilty during a hearing scheduled for May 19, according to court documents. Each brother faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison.

Attorneys for both Jacob and Darin Dowd did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

As for Bushey, the former police chief has not been charged in connection with the scheme. He left the Linn Police Department voluntarily and was replaced by Jon Albrecht in March 2022, according to the department’s social media. Albrecht has since moved on to become police chief in nearby Elkhorn, Wisconsin.

Graham Gunyon, Linn’s interim police chief, declined to provide contact information for Bushey or comment on the former chief’s alleged involvement in the importation scheme. Town board officials have not responded to requests for comment on what Bushey may have told them about the arrangement.

When asked if Bushey was under investigation, Steve Caballero, a spokesperson for the U.S. attorney’s office in Milwaukee, declined to comment. The FBI has not yet responded to inquiries about potential investigations involving the former chief.

This case highlights growing concerns about the illegal importation of restricted ammunition and the exploitation of law enforcement exemptions to circumvent federal regulations on armor-piercing rounds, which are particularly dangerous and can penetrate protective equipment worn by police officers.