U.S. Navy Veteran

Patrick "Tate" Adamiak

Wrongfully convicted and sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for legally owned, non-functional military memorabilia. The ATF's own rule has since been struck down — but Tate is still behind bars.

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Tate's Story

A Veteran. A Collector. A 20-Year Sentence.

Tate is a U.S. Navy veteran who legally collected deactivated WWII relics — items previously approved for import by the ATF. But in 2022, he became the target of an ATF sting operation and was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for owning non-functional, historical artifacts.

His conviction is based on a retroactive and unlawful reinterpretation of gun laws — a rule that federal courts have since struck down.

Meet Tate

By the Numbers

The Case Against Tate Falls Apart Under Scrutiny

0 Functional weapons found in Tate's possession

$75 Cost of the toy STEN gun the ATF classified as a machinegun

5 Parts the ATF added from their own weapons to "prove" Tate's RPG worked

1 of 4 Legal requirements met by the part ATF called a "machinegun receiver"

20+ Felony convictions held by the ATF informant who triggered the investigation

1,012 Alleged illegal weapons the prosecution initially sought penalties for

What the Record Shows

Facts the Government Can't Dispute

ATF officer Bodell admitted under oath that Tate's Uzi carbines were "closed-bolt semi-automatic firearms" — confirming they were legal. They were counted toward his sentence anyway.

The ATF's own Firearm Technology Branch had previously approved the inert RPG kit for civilian sales and included a letter stating the launcher was not a destructive device.

When retired ATF agent O'Kelly was set to testify that the items weren't regulated, the prosecution dropped the original charges and reindicted Tate on different counts. The court then blocked O'Kelly's testimony.

Tate purchased the inert RPGs in California and flew them home on commercial airlines, passing TSA inspection. They sat openly displayed in his home for nearly a decade.

The 4th Circuit Court of Appeals found that Tate's sentence violated the Double Jeopardy Clause — the same crime was counted under two different statutes to produce two consecutive 10-year terms.

Expert witness Len Savage, who has testified in 29 federal cases, reviewed the charges and concluded they were "not legit" and "made up by the ATF."

Read All the Facts

Understand the Injustice

Tate's case exposes a pattern of government overreach. Explore the evidence for yourself.

The Case

An ATF Sting on a Navy Sailor

At 27, Tate was indicted for allegedly dealing machine guns and possessing rocket launchers. The truth? Every item was a non-functional relic or replica that had been legal for decades.

ATF Allegations

A Cut-Up Barrel Shroud Called a "Machine Gun"

The ATF classified a WWII-era part that meets only 1 of 4 legal requirements as a machinegun receiver. They also added their own parts to an inert RPG to "prove" it worked.

Statement of Facts