South Carolina man had more than 7,000 guns, up to 500 chainsaws

PAGELAND, S.C., Oct. 26 (UPI) -- Authorities in South Carolina said they arrested a man found to be in possession of more than 7,000 stolen guns and up to 500 stolen chainsaws.

Chesterfield County Sheriff Jay Brooks said Brent Nicholson, 51, was being served a subpoena Friday on charges of trafficking opium and heroin and the deputies visiting the home made note of the man's arsenal.

Deputies returned the following day and cleared the home and a warehouse on the Pageland-area property of between 7,000 and 10,000 guns.

Authorities said they also seized other items including up to 500 chainsaws, hunting crossbows, four-wheelers and taxidermy supplies.

Brooks said 99 percent of the seized items are believed to be stolen property.

He said Nicholson didn't appear to have been planning anything sinister with his weapons.

"(He) looks like a gun hoarder to be honest with you," Brooks told WBTV.

"There's no evidence that he even used them," the sheriff told The Charlotte Observer. "There's no evidence that he was selling them -- he just wanted them. His house looked like that hoarders program on TV."