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Couple Arrested for Driving Stolen Car Filled with Uranium, a Rattlesnake and Whiskey

Posted: Fri Jul 12, 2019 12:54 am
by Rich Feldman
Which offense is the least troubling?
https://www.newsweek.com/uranium-rattle ... ns-1448695
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Guthrie police had quite the surprise when they pulled over a car with an expired tag – the car turned out to be stolen, and police said they found a canister of radioactive uranium, a rattlesnake, and an open bottle of Kentucky Deluxe whiskey.

According to Guthrie police, an officer was patrolling the area of the 300 block of Viking Drive on June 25, when he noticed a car with an expired tag. The officer pulled over the car and spoke with the driver, later identified as 41-year-old Stephen Jennings.

Re: Couple Arrested for Driving Stolen Car Filled with Uranium, a Rattlesnake and Whiskey

Posted: Fri Jul 12, 2019 5:14 am
by Rex Allers
Well, probably more time spent looking about this story than was necessary or rational.

Strangely? My first thought was how did the cops determine the substance was uranium. Searching for "rattlesnake uranium" not unsurprisingly all the hits seemed to be about this story. Most had no hints how average cops determined there was uranium.

One I found did.
https://www.koco.com/article/man-caught ... y/28366458

--quote --
A silver canister containing a yellow powdery substance was also found inside the car.

“The canister advised that the yellow in color powdery substance was uranium,” the police report stated.
--unquote--

Yep. My expected level of detective work from the police.

This story seems to shed a bit of explanation to the uranium.
https://kfor.com/2019/07/11/new-details ... n-guthrie/

It says
--Quote--
[he] explained that he sells metal to scrapyards and has a Geiger counter to test if the metal is radioactive, which apparently isn't uncommon.

"You need something radioactive to test the Geiger counter so this would be one of the best ways to do it," Dr. Eitrheim said. "It's such a benign material that's lowly radioactive enough."

Neither the snake nor the uranium was illegal to have...
--unquote--

Ok, THAT makes sense. But it's not as much fun as much fun as leaving uranium reasons open, when mixed with stolen car, rattlesnake and gun. (There was a female felon too.) [Edit] I forgot to mention the whiskey.

Rich, umm, ok, thanks for sharing.

Re: Couple Arrested for Driving Stolen Car Filled with Uranium, a Rattlesnake and Whiskey

Posted: Fri Jul 12, 2019 10:00 am
by Dennis P Brown
I seriously hope this gets kicked up to a federal level for investigation - that is, if it is in fact "yellow" uranium powder; i.e. yellow cake or very pure uranium oxide which is illegal to own (again, chemically pure uranium - not simple ore.) How anyone obtained that level of purity uranium requires a serious investigation. Yes, I know, not "dangerous" but still very illegal.

Re: Couple Arrested for Driving Stolen Car Filled with Uranium, a Rattlesnake and Whiskey

Posted: Fri Jul 12, 2019 5:28 pm
by Richard Hull
Correct. If the chemical precursor to uranium metal (yellow cake ) then this is not good and much depends on the amount. You may have pre-existing small amounts of chemical uranium, such as the oxide, acetate or nitrate, (common photographic chemicals sold by Kodak to film and print developers in the public domain in the old days). Again, only small amounts.

Ore in its original form of ROCK is allowed to be owned under the general license. (mineralogists, mineral sales/Rock dealers, geologists, mineral collectors, etc. The specific instruction related to ore in the regulations states emphatically that the ore must remain, as found (rock), and not be processed in any manner. U rock is not considered a "source material" in its rock or ore form.

Ore is a far better check source for a simple GM detector than a uranic chemical as no uranic chemical on earth has a radium signature, while rock is in full equilibrium and has the full load of radium and its many daughters. These late daughters contain a butt load of alphas, betas, and gammas to tickle the GM counter.

The only good thing about the chemical form is there is no radon emitted as it takes a bit over a 1/2 million years for the purified chemical or the metal to emit radon or any of the many radium daughter alphas, gammas and betas. This assumes you are deadly afraid of radon from a piece of ore. (typically, a non-issue) Uranium chemicals stop dead two months after purification with only the uranium 238 and U234 alphas and betas from Th234 and Pa234. These beta emitters are the first two fast daughters in equilibrium from purified U238 metal or chemicals.

I can't imagine that the uranium would be part of a legal action. Assuming the man and the girl are felons, the law will focus on the gun, not allowed if a felon, and the stolen car. Just a couple of stupid people caught with fresh felonies.

Richard Hull

Re: Couple Arrested for Driving Stolen Car Filled with Uranium, a Rattlesnake and Whiskey

Posted: Fri Jul 12, 2019 9:59 pm
by Dan Knapp
Can anyone cite the CFR reference for the law that makes it illegal to own yellowcake uranium?

Re: Couple Arrested for Driving Stolen Car Filled with Uranium, a Rattlesnake and Whiskey

Posted: Sat Jul 13, 2019 5:33 pm
by Richard Hull
Literally all uranic chemicals can be considered source material and will get you in a world of hurt if found in 200lb lots. They will not jail you for having a small vial of yellow cake or any uranic chemical. They can legally take it from you, however. It is a matter of degree as to whether you are marched off to the pokey while they figure out why you have 200lbs of yellow cake, where you got it, and if there is more on your property or if any of you associates are storing more for you.

Remember, all uranic chemicals are, if effect, fully processed ore and are considered source material. You have far more to fear from idiot, non-trained, local yokel cops going chicken little on you claiming the sky is falling and that they have a terrorist. At that point, the NRC and feds are involved. If you have a small amount, the Feds may take it and you will be back home in between 2 weeks and 4 months, with a good lawyer, as you are ground up and spit out of your local legal system. The Feds will be long gone in search of real wrong doers and laughing at the local cops.

Smart money says use only U ore rock or already extant fiesta-ware, luminous watches or clocks found at flea markets as sources to test your GM and scintillation counters. All of these are protected within the general license. Again, only if left undisturbed.

I can't really believe we are going over this yet again. Be a good and private citizen, and stay on the straight and narrow.

Richard Hull

Re: Couple Arrested for Driving Stolen Car Filled with Uranium, a Rattlesnake and Whiskey

Posted: Sat Jul 13, 2019 10:43 pm
by Dan Knapp
Does anyone know what the law actually says?

Re: Couple Arrested for Driving Stolen Car Filled with Uranium, a Rattlesnake and Whiskey

Posted: Sat Jul 13, 2019 11:48 pm
by John Futter
Its in the IAEA rules that most countries have signed up to

Re: Couple Arrested for Driving Stolen Car Filled with Uranium, a Rattlesnake and Whiskey

Posted: Sun Jul 14, 2019 1:33 am
by John Myers
I haven't been able to find any laws specific for the general public. Most of the rules apply to the licensees. The NRC references the 'Atomic Energy Act Of 1954'.

All the rules and regulations are like a rats nest so I'm not certain the below applies but it does look like a catch all US federal law.
Atomic Energy Act wrote:SEC. 223. VIOLATION OF SECTIONS GENERALLY.—a. Whoever willfully violates, attempts to violate, or conspires to violate, any provision of this Act for which no criminal penalty is specifically provided or of any regulation or order prescribed or issued under section 65 or subsections 161 b., i., or o. shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by a fine of not more than $5,000 or by imprisonment for not more than two years, or both, except that who-ever commits such an offense with intent to injure the United States or with intent to secure an advantage to any foreign nation, shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by a fine of not more than $20,000 or by imprisonment for not more than twenty years, or both.