“Felony weapons charges against a Running Springs man were dismissed on Sept. 20 in a San Bernardino Superior courtroom after the deputy district attorney prosecuting him informed the judge the defendant had committed suicide,” mountain-news.com reports. “Randall Jay Rusciolelli, 47, sent a typewritten letter announcing his intentions to The Mountain News shortly before shooting himself in the head on Sept. 19. The letter said he intended to kill himself while seated ‘under my favorite tree.'” Click here for the news story of his arrest. Here’s the text of Rusciolelli’s letter . . .
From Randy Rusciolelli, Journey Man Plumbing
I was a collector of fine firearms both military and commercial. The actual value of the firearms and ammo taken from me was $283,000.00. The terrorist threat charge was made against me by a girl I broke up with over 4 months ago. She had called at all hours of the day and night and the Sheriff’s have the evidence in both our phone records. I called for help over 3 different months to no avail. Recently she broke into my house through a dog door and changed my email password and stole several items of mine. I never threatened her life and had only called her 2 times in the last 3-4 months. To her ever increasing attacks on me, all I can say to the Sheriff’s is “Total shame on you”.
When I was arrested, they had already possessed both our phone records and recordings of my alleged threats and no corroborating witnesses. The explosive charges against me are for possessing more than 1 pound of sporting (Goex) black powder, possessing military tracer rounds illegal in California, but legal in Arizona, Nevada and other states, and for a destructive device that is a $250.00 black powder golf ball commercially manufactured and clearly stamped for “Black Powder Only” with a fuse hole in the base.
I possess only 1 California Assault weapons license that was issued to me in 1990. Notice that the enclosed license is marked temporary as no permanent one was ever issued. I can only fire one rifle at a time but regardless, they discovered an additional 5 banned rifles without permits.
In 47 years, I have absolutely no criminal or civil record. My bail was set at half a million dollars and most likely will be raised to 1.5 million in my next court appearance. I am not a survivalist, paramilitarist, nor a right or left-winger. I am an American citizen who loves to go into the desert to shoot rifles, pistols and shot guns. I wished I could have had a 155mm Howister canon too, but I did not. My guns have never killed any living thing, and in my 31 years of target shooting, no harm has ever been inflicted upon any beings.
I read the articles about my arrest, and I am astounded by the fact that these officers lied about how they even came to arrest me. Please re-read the articles again.
I found out this 47 year old girlfriend has a history of attacking and suing her last 3 boyfriends. This is a fact that I have found out too late. The police have recording of her on tape admitting to have broken into my house. During the breach, she managed to open my computer and proceeded to change my email, passwords and other devious things.
I have owned my house on Firwood drive in Running Springs for 20 years, and in one day I lost my house, closed my business and had every item taken from me of significant value that I had collected over the span of my lifetime. I spent 6 days in jail and after posting bail of $500,000.00, I got out and spent time with my parents, family, and my dog. Within days of this, I had to go back to court and the judge immediately issued a criminal restraining order against me. “Amazing”!
I cannot let my freedom be placed in control by our present justice system. I have consulted with many top lawyers, and all advised me that 10 years ago, this search warrant would have been illegal; not anymore.
We Americans are losing too many of our rights under the guides of terrorism laws. The bottom line is that the above stated violations will result in a 6 year stay in state prison with the lowest end being a 1 year term with felony conviction. I apologize to all that know me, but I cannot handle that I am now penniless, homeless and about to lose my freedom over my zealous collecting. Thank you for all the times we had. It is better to die a free and armed man than a broke, imprisoned and un-armed one.
Wow. What a tragedy.
One moral of the story is: don’t break any laws, and they can’t get you.
There are a few other morals, I’m afraid.
Ever wondered how many people have never broken a law? It’s about zero. It’s not a valid defense to say, “I didn’t know it was against the law” (except, interestingly, in tax issues, where it’s assumed it’s impossible for someone to know the law becuse of its complexity). Lawyers and even police officers will tell you not to talk to the police, because they’re trained to find some way you’ve broken the law, and they can pretty much always find something.
OK, Robert. You owe us a happy story after that downer. How about a righteous shooting? Or hot chick uses gun to stop intruder goblin. Or something.
Or about HK’s new “We’re Sorry We Were Such A-Holes Please Forgive Us” civillian only discount firearms bonanza.
How could this not scare the Christ-living Crap out of anyone, and turn them into a raging libertarian?
I’ve said this before but I guess it bears repeating:
Twice in my lifetime I have come within minutes of being blown to bits by a terrorist bomb (both in Germany.) I am not afraid of terrorists, the worst they can do is kill me and they will have a fight on their hands to do that. But I am afraid of my government. They can make my life, and that of my family, a living H*ll; they can bankrupt me and my family; they can make my family and me homeless and penniless; social pariahs with a mere accusation.
This is not the Founder’s America. This is not the America my father devoted his Army career and life to defend. I miss my father every day but I am glad that he died the week before the 9/11 attacks so he never had to see what has become of the wonderful country he served and raised me to love.
Pray for the Republic.
It sounds like he was too emotionally invested in material goods. Healthy people don’t kill themselves over loss of property. By the way, if you can afford that much stuff why not just move to a gun-friendly state?
I think this chap is using “martyrdom” to hide deep emotional scars. Although, he was right about the SystemSad it had to end this way. Perhaps somebody will sue his ex.
I think you are being a bit harsh…if I lost everyting I had worked 47 years to build overnight with a probable felony conviction and jail time over my head for what I percieved to be a malicious prosecution, I might have to reconsider my connection with this mortal coil as well.
I hate to say it, but there is a breaking point where even sane rational men have to consider some rather insane options…this gentleman chooseto end it, rather than building a killdozer…which under his perception of the circumstances seems a fairly measured response
This tragedy would not have occurred had the police been pursuing justice rather than a politically motivated frenzy to convict. “Show me a man and I’ll find you a law he’s broken.” –Feliks Dzerzhinsky
Yes, he did have some scars like all of us, but because of this he lost his business, his home, his passion and his freedom. HE WAS GOING TO JAIL THEY RAISED HIS BAIL TO $1 MILLION!!!
When he finally gets out as a felon, he has to live with his parents providing they are still here?
Some people do not take well to this type of devastation especially when the arrest and the search warrant was issued under some weird circumstances.
BTW, Randy was my friend. I regret that suicide was the only rational option he felt open to him, we miss him terribly, but I can say with certainty that he came to the decision with a clear mind.
RIP Randall Jay Rusciolelli. I’m somewhat involved with being an MRA Mens’ Rights Advocate. Sadly, I know of too many stories of men losing their liberties and taking their own lives because of the growing police-nanny state and misandry in modern society. A NYC Firefighter, a hero who was at the Towers on 9-11, took his own life after the Family Courts set his alimony and child support so high leaving him with less than $100 per month for his own use. A Canadian father hung himself the day before he was to go to prison for not being able to pay alimony and child support set by the Canadian Courts at twice his income.
It is a sad tale. Some would say that if he wanted to collect guns such as these for a hobby he should move out of California. Leave your home for your hobby and an easier ability to defend yourself. Stupid. This man should not have had this problem, he should not have been put in this position. Men made these laws, men can change them. This is not a force of nature or act of god. This is our home. Why don’t the residents of Kansas or Alabama move to California if they don’t like having their homes devistated by floods and storms? We spread all these stories about earthquakes here to keep others from moving to California.
You shouldn’t have to leave your home for a problem made by others.
“Men made these laws, men can change them”
Men made these laws, men can abuse them… because that’s what this is, misuse and abuse of the law to punish someone who disagrees with the people who think they have the “right to rule” over others. Modern American Liberalism is a mental disorder
I wonder sometimes why gun collectors would live in a state where guns are not allowed to be collected, or at least certain guns. If you can’t move then sit there and deal with the legal reality. Every time ” An Arsenal” is uncovered in these nanny states it fuels the fire even more. he would have had no problems in Pennsylvania, even with the black powder.
Suicide is never the answer but in this case it shows how the pressure of The System can make a sane man insane rather quickly.
And there is a deeper lesson to be careful who you date or associate with, they might turn out to be a crazed loon that hates guns and hears voices in their head.
If he intended to take his life, then he should have made a bold statement.
Excise the causing cancer before leaving.
Until then, Nothing will change
That’s just it. He was a peaceful man. He was armed and could have dropped the police that ran at him. He could have offed that horrid bitch. He NEVER would do such a thing.
What will cure the cancer is getting enough people to see what a mess this all is and to vote all the leftist, marxist, progressives (regressives) that want to trash God given or inalienable rights out off office. Get these unconstitutional and arbitrary laws off the books.
This story makes one sick to read it.
I remember buying my first firearm at age 18 in NYC and taking it home on the subway in a rifle case,which was obvious to anyone.I also had ammo in a separate bag. No one,including the transit cop on the train was the least concerned.This in late 1964.
Imagine today-there’d be six robocops on me with SMG’s.
Hell, before Columbine, kids could take rifles to school and keep them in their lockers and nobody cared. In certain states/areas, anyway.
Probably a gun in case on the train would get a such a response. I recently inquired from the transit police if I could bring a gun home from the gun show (the train stops right at the Expo Center) on the train along with ammunition. They replied no for two reasons: 1) gang bangers started jumping gun buyers at the recent shows and taking their guns just outside the grounds (which is why cars can no longer park outside the secure lot) and 2) explosive sniffing police dogs can detect the ammo scent even hours later leading to confusion and potential security problems. Three years ago Portland police found a pipe bomb on the train which if went off would have hurt a lot of people. BTW, Portland is usually a city with a very low crime rate.
Oh,yeah-it was a Lee-Enfield .303 Jungle Carbine-kicked like a mule.
I hate to be the first to ask, but how much of the above letter is true?
I saw nothing in the letter I have’nt heard of happening many times . this is a common story. vengful ex, angry neighbor, etc. brings down LEO’s on a owner/ collector who has demonstrable evidence that he has attempted to follow all the laws. but there are federal , state,county,city,and township laws that change constantly. so they make a lot of charges. 90% are thrown out like the explosive charge for black powder that every muzzle loader in the country has and is sold leagly at every guns store in the country. they get a few convictions on paperwork stuff, and the victim is bankrupted fighting it. $100k in legal bills is a good starting point for what it would cost to even start to defend yourself against this . then you still go to jail and get a felony rap for the paperwork mistakes.
I know personally that it is true. Google his name and follow the above link. It’s all over the web.
Randy was my best friend even after we moved to Colorado in ’06. There is a lot more to this story and for the most part the letter is accurate. Some of the important facts:
1. The psycho bitch from hell who filed the complaint had burned prior boyfriends including an airline pilot who lost his job after she called the FAA and fed them a bunch of lies.
2. The “explosive device” Randy had was a golf ball mortar which required the black powder to fire it and was certainly not a bomb as the cops would imply.
3. The detective who requested the search warrant was Randy’s ex-brother-in-law and they had quite a history so I wasn’t surprised that they made it sound so dramatic.
4. This same law enforcement organization (San Bernardino County Sheriffs) recently tasered a guy to death because he allegedly would not obey orders to calm down (litigation pending) and luckily for his family there were plenty of witnesses who saw what really happened.
Don, I would like to see that woman and the detective up on some charges. That witch broke into his house, stole his dog, called multiple times a day, ruined his business, made it so he had to leave his home for any peace at all. I personally saw a video of her breaking in (cutting his fence at night) and heard the phone messages.
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