Some concealed carry permit holders in Greene County may have invalid permits.
More than 200 concealed carry certificates issued last year through instructor Terry Lumma of Shipman were determined invalid after Lumma was charged with forgery and providing a false certification in June 2021. According to officials, the Illinois State Police’s Firearms Services Bureau received a complaint in December 2020 alleging Lumma was not teaching the concealed carry license classes according to state law. After a five-month investigation, the bureau’s investigators said they found evidence to support the allegation. All of the Lumma’s students were sent letters last year notifying them of their concealed carry status and received a 60-day grace period to complete the requirements for a new concealed carry license.
The Alton Telegraph reports that Jersey County Sheriff Mike Ringhausen says about 100 people in Jersey County and others in Greene received the letters notifying them of the issue. The issue is specifically with people receiving training after March 1, 2018.
To obtain a concealed carry license, a person must undergo 16 hours of training, including both classroom and range instruction, and pass a background check.