San Diego Scientologist and jeweler Leo Hamel’s home and business were raided in February 2019; this is the same month Scientologist David Gentile’s GPB Capital was raided by the FBI.

ABC 7 San Diego reported today on Scientologist Leo Hamel:

When FBI agents raided the showroom of prominent San Diego jeweler Leo Hamel nine months ago, they found more than 200 firearms and 100,000 rounds of ammunition inside the store. Prosecutors now allege the businessman had been aiding an illegal firearms ring led by a former San Diego County Sheriff’s Deputy.

At a news briefing Friday in downtown San Diego, federal prosecutors announced the indictment of former SDSO Capt. Marco Garmo, 52, for gun trafficking, airing marijuana distribution and lying to federal agents… Hamel, 62, was named as a co-defendant in the federal grand jury indictment, along with SDSO Lt. Fred Magana, 42, as well as firearms dealer Giovanni Tilotta, 38, and El Cajon resident Waiel Anton, 35.

Leo Hamel

Click to see Leo Hamel’s Scientology Completions.

Note: There is no known relationship between Leo Hamel and Scientology’s Office of Special Affairs Commanding Officer Linda Frances Hamel.

Leo Hamel is a man who participated in a criminal scheme to illegally traffick guns. What did Scientology do for Hamel? Did it teach him contempt for the law? From the US DoJ press release:

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Los Angeles Field Division Special Agent in Charge Carlos A. Canino. “ATF’s mission is to focus our efforts on firearms traffickers and trigger pullers. We will continue to pursue individuals engaged in this type of firearms trafficking activity while working with our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to increase public safety.”

Leo Hamel is looking at serious prison time for his role in taking money and putting guns on the streets.

As was the case with Scientologist Hanan Islam, her fellow Scientologist Leo Hamel’s bail was also set at $250,000. As noted in the US Department of Justice press release, Hamel was required to secure his bail by the placement of a lien on real property he owns.

Questions are being asked as to why Leo Hamel, 62, a prosperous and long-established San Diego businessman, would become involved in illegal gun sales when he had so much to lose by doing so. Hamel’s case is akin to Scientologist Izzy Chait’s foray into the illegal sales of stolen dinosaur fossils, a case that made international headlines and resulted in Chait’s son Joey serving one year in jail.

The stories of Scientologists across the world engaging in white collar crime is an all too familiar theme. Recently, the sleazy Scientologist chiropractors Jeffrey and Jay Spina plead guilty to the $80 million Medicare fraud scheme they and their two Scientologist accomplices perpetrated against US taxpayers.

Hanan Islam and her three adult children Rizza, Zakaiyyah, and Nimat are presently defending themselves against criminal charges in a Los Angeles courtroom. The family stands accused of stealing $3.8 million in a MediCal fraud related to Scientology’s Narconon program.

The US Attorney’s Office, Southern District of California Press Release. Note: Please hover your cursor over the document to invoke the page up/page down controls at the bottom of the page frame: