Dozens of Ohioans' concealed-carry permits have been revoked after an investigation revealed certificates for the completion of weapons-safety courses were forged, officials say. Two former NRA-certified instructors were indicted Monday on a combined 50 felony counts by a Knox County grand jury, accused of falsifying certificates of completion for the concealed-carry weapons courses.

Dozens of Ohioans� concealed-carry permits have been revoked after an investigation revealed certificates for the completion of weapons-safety courses were forged, officials say.



Two former NRA-certified instructors were indicted Monday on a combined 50 felony counts by a Knox County grand jury, accused of falsifying certificates of completion for the concealed-carry weapons courses.



Robert Hess, 55,of Loudonville, was indicted on 38 counts of forgery, and John Fisher, 36,of Cardington, was indicted on 12 counts. All counts are fifth-degree felonies.



Hess and Fisher are accused of falsifying documents that their classes had met the minimum hourly requirements, outlined by state law, for the National Rifle Association Basic Pistol Course, which teaches gun-safety techniques.



Completion of the course is a primary step to obtaining a concealed-carry permit in the state of Ohio. Six hours of lessons are required before an additional two hours of hands-on training at a firing range is required.



�Their classes were just way short on hours,� Knox County Sheriff Dave Shaffer said. �Some of them did zero range time.�



The former instructors might have falsified the certificates to make more money by expediting the course, Knox County Prosecuting Attorney Chip McConville said.



Knox County doesn�t plan to pursue forgery charges against those who took the courses with Hess and Fisher, as they are not considered complicit. There are about 50 people, however, who will need to retake courses if they still want a concealed-carry permit.



�There are a number of people out there who are unhappy about this, and they deserve to be unhappy,� McConville said.



He said the two cases of misconduct are atypical, with the majority of CCW instructors adhering to course requirements.



Sean Maloney, legislative director at the Buckeye Firearms Association, agreed with the prosecutor that this kind of falsification is rare. As a lawyer and NRA instructor, he said he supports prosecution in instances of certificate falsification.



�When somebody is out there, making fake and selling certificates for just money and not providing training, they should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,� Maloney said.



The Buckeye State Sheriffs' Association is confident that sheriffs throughout Ohio charged with checking the certificates do so with due diligence before a concealed-carry permit is issued, Executive Director Robert Cornwell said.



�We have a tremendous network between the sheriffs,� he said. �They don�t take this duty lightly. They know that putting a firearm in the hands of an individual is a very serious situation that you�re creating.�



Hess and Fisher also taught classes in several other counties, and the sheriff's offices in those counties are following up with separate investigations into those courses, Cornwell said.



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