Michael J. Henry, 30, had one thing going for him: a clean record. His lack of a criminal past allowed him to buy guns.The problem is it's nearly impossible to put all this together. The NRA and gun-rights advocates have such a stranglehold on the gun laws that people get away with this all the time. Without registration and licensing, and without reporting-stolen-weapons laws, straw purchasers are almost certain to get away with their tricks.
Andrew C. Thomas, 44, had served time for forgery. He could not legally buy firearms, but he wanted lots of them, police said.
Henry, of Philadelphia, and Thomas, of Bala Cynwyd, met in April. On May 30, Henry, allegedly acting as a "straw purchaser," went to a Jeffersonville gun shop and bought a .9mm Beretta - the weapon that authorities said Thomas used five months later to kill Plymouth Township K-9 Officer Bradley Fox.
Though Henry could have legally bought the gun for himself, he broke the law when he did it for Thomas, Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman said.
So on Wednesday, Henry was arrested and charged with nine felonies, each relating to illegally buying firearms for Thomas and giving sworn falsification to authorities. The latter charges flow from allegations that Henry lied on gun-sale applications by claiming the weapons were for himself.
We have a solution. It's not that difficult.
What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.
What the hell is a .9mm Beretta? A needle gun?
ReplyDeleteMikeb, the system worked here. Be happy.
It may be rare that you read about it, but Federal courts are sentencing defendants once or twice a week for straw buying or dealing without a licence.
ReplyDeletemikeb said..."The problem is it's nearly impossible to put all this together."
Are you suggesting that the Multiple Sales Reporting requirement doesn't work? Also, in Pennsylvania, ALL sales are required to be processed through the Pennsylvania Instant Check System, AND, the State Police maintain a database of ALL sales. It looks like all those gun control laws didn't prevent a crime or a murder.
Do they have that multiple sales reporting law in PA? Can't it be gotten around by shopping at several different places? Are the police really checking those records, what with record gun sales and all?
DeleteNo, we need proper gun control like I've laid out.
Oh, the hilarity....Pennsylvania has some of those things that you want...but, but the police may not be doing their job so......you want MORE laws? MORE duties for the police that, according to you, may not be doing their job.
DeleteSome, not nearly enough. Even CA and NY don't as far as I'm concerned
DeleteThat's another reason why you won't win in America. You think that California and New York don't have enough gun control.
Delete