Gun rights advocates and constitutional defenders across the nation are ramping up pressure on President Donald Trump and the Department of Justice to issue presidential pardons for Americans serving harsh prison sentences over nonviolent gun offenses. The most prominent example drawing national attention is the case of Navy serviceman Patrick “Tate” Adamiak, currently serving 20 years in prison for possessing disassembled and inert WWII-era firearm parts – scrap material, not functioning guns. According to the National Association for Gun Rights, the ATF, under pressure to produce arrests, used a criminal informant to target Adamiak in what many are calling an egregious abuse of power.
The Case of Patrick “Tate” Adamiak
Adamiak, a Navy E6 selected for Naval Special Warfare, had a legal side business selling demilled firearm parts on platforms like Gun Broker. As reported by Liberty Doll, a popular Second Amendment commentator on YouTube, Adamiak sold parts that did not require an FFL – cut-up, inert replicas and historical curios. But that didn’t stop over 40 federal agents from raiding his home. They seized everything, from his electronics to his savings, treating lawful business property like illicit contraband. Liberty Doll explains that the Department of Justice then built its case on absurd technicalities, claiming these parts could be turned into machine guns “with time and electrical tape.”
The Role of ATF Rulemaking and the Ghost Gun Rule
This kind of prosecution is exactly what critics of the ATF’s shifting definitions warned about. While the Fifth Circuit ruled against the ATF’s ghost gun rule in VanDerStok, gun rights groups like the National Association for Gun Rights argue that the rule still remains a weapon for abuse. In their words: “VanDerStok may have been upheld, but the ruling was a permission, not a mandate.” They argue that DOJ should immediately withdraw the ghost gun rule to prevent future abuses like Adamiak’s prosecution.
DOJ Doubles Down
Instead of recognizing a wrongful conviction, the Department of Justice is fighting Adamiak’s appeal tooth and nail. Liberty Doll, who has been meticulously reviewing the court filings, notes that the DOJ went as far as reconstructing dummy weapons with real internal parts and electrical tape to fire a single round in a lab setting. From that, they claimed the parts were illegal machine guns. This sets a troubling precedent: if the government can assemble an item into something else with effort, then mere possession becomes a felony.
Legal Nonsense in Plain English
Curtis Hallstrom of The VSO Gun Channel put it bluntly: “Let me explain this like I’m talking to a 9-year-old.” Hallstrom, with his characteristic directness, described the absurdity of the case by comparing it to charging someone for owning a toy gun that only became functional after government intervention. “30 months in prison, 20 years on the table – for parts that don’t even function unless the government makes them function. It’s madness,” he said in his recent video.
CRS Firearms Speaks Out
Erica Hoover, now running the CRS Firearms channel originally started by her husband Matt Hoover (another man imprisoned over the Auto Key Card case), has joined the chorus of voices demanding justice. In a recent video, she outlined a practical and principled proposal: presidential pardons for nonviolent gun convictions. Drawing from a piece by Dean Weingarten and ideas floated by attorney Mark Smith, Hoover suggested limiting such pardons to federal, nonviolent cases with no shady plea deals – especially for those currently serving prison sentences.
The Auto Key Card Cases: Hoover and Irvin
Matt Hoover and Justin Irvin’s case serves as another glaring example. Irvin created and sold “Auto Key Cards” – metal cards with an image etched into them resembling an auto sear. These were marketed as novelty items. But the government, again, alleged that the image constituted a machine gun part. As Curtis Hallstrom pointed out, when tested, the items didn’t even work. Still, both men were convicted of trafficking in machine guns and sentenced to prison. Hoover’s YouTube channel, now run by his wife, has become a rallying point for gun rights supporters demanding clemency.
A Clear Opportunity for Presidential Action
As Liberty Doll put it, “Trump says he’s going to be better for gun owners this time around – this would be a great place to start.” The calls for pardons aren’t just about sympathy; they’re about principle. Many of the individuals imprisoned were operating in legal gray zones, only to have the rules change after the fact or be interpreted arbitrarily. Pardoning those unjustly convicted would show that the Second Amendment is not just campaign rhetoric.
Political Prisoners in a Supposed Free Society
These aren’t cases of violent felons. These are citizens, veterans, and entrepreneurs who have been criminalized by rule changes, subjective ATF determinations, and weaponized prosecutions. As VSO Gun Channel pointed out, the administration moved quickly to pardon rioters, but peaceful gun owners like Adamiak and Hoover have been left to rot. “This is not about law enforcement anymore – this is about politics, plain and simple,” said Hallstrom.
Organizing a Path Forward
CRS Firearms suggested that a centralized Second Amendment organization take the lead in compiling and submitting pardon cases to the administration. It’s a practical idea: gun rights groups already have the infrastructure, legal teams, and public visibility to advocate effectively. From the National Association for Gun Rights to Gun Owners of America, the pieces are already in place to build a coordinated push for clemency.
A Missed Opportunity to Uphold the Constitution
At its core, this issue is about restoring faith in the justice system and the Constitution. “Shall not be infringed” must mean something, or it means nothing. If a Navy sailor can be imprisoned for scrap metal, and a YouTuber jailed for a metal etching, what hope do everyday Americans have that their rights will be protected? As Liberty Doll concluded, “It’s high time our laws reflected that truth.”
Will Trump Listen?
The ball is in President Trump’s court. With mounting public pressure, legal inconsistencies, and moral clarity on the side of the imprisoned, this is a moment to lead. Pardoning nonviolent gun offenders isn’t just a legal decision – it’s a moral one. As Erica Hoover said in her closing: “Stay vigilant. Stay armed. And stay free.” That’s the message echoing louder every day from a community that refuses to stay silent.
This is not just about Adamiak or Hoover. It’s about the soul of the Second Amendment and whether this country will continue to criminalize peaceful citizens for daring to exercise a right that was never meant to be negotiable.
A former park ranger and wildlife conservationist, Lisa’s passion for survival started with her deep connection to nature. Raised on a small farm in northern Wisconsin, she learned how to grow her own food, raise livestock, and live off the land. Lisa is our dedicated Second Amendment news writer and also focuses on homesteading, natural remedies, and survival strategies. Lisa aims to help others live more sustainably and prepare for the unexpected.