How many times do people need to hear a north-eastern official bellow on about the so-called “iron pipeline”? They love pegging the problems of their own state on other states. Or progressive Chicago politicians blaming Indiana for there own incompetency. Finger pointing at those dirty other jurisdictions that have lax gun laws. Give me a break. By that, these anti-American political hacks mean states that respect the Second Amendment. A recent sentencing for illegal arms trafficking leaves a lot to unpack.

A Chesapeake man was sentenced today to 18 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release for conspiracy to make false statements in connection with 45 firearm transactions.

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According to court documents, from June 2019 through June 2020, Kevin Staton, Jr., 24, engaged in the business of buying and selling 45 firearms without a license. To buy the firearms he trafficked, Staton made false official statements on ATF forms. Staton claimed he was the actual buyer of the firearms, but, in truth, he was purchasing the firearms for other individuals or with the intent to quickly resell them. Staton would coordinate with co-conspirators to identify firearms for purchase through online firearm marketplaces.

When Staton, a two-time All-American college football player, was interviewed by ATF agents, he told them that “Guns are like money.”

Staton’s right, guns are like money. If it were not profitable to engage in straw purchases, people would not do it. Here’s the thing, Staton got caught. And while it’s understood that not every single criminal can be caught, this individual who committed the illegal transfers 45 times, did get arrested, tried, convicted, and sentenced. If the iron pipeline were a highway, Staton was caught criminally speeding on it. So there are mechanisms where law enforcement can stop these bad actors.

With fingers being pointed everywhere, and states playing the blame game, are those arguments relevant? Maybe. But there clearly are success stories of someone doing their job somewhere.

In the release the ATF put out on this, actually towards the top of it, the talking heads opted to inject a bunch of partisan garbage to make it seem like the Biden-Harris administration is successful on so-called gun violence.

“Less than two weeks ago, the President signed into law the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which among other things increases the penalties for firearm traffickers and introduces new laws to address the proliferation of illegal firearms. Congress and the American people have spoken: we will not tolerate firearm traffickers, straw purchasers, and felons in possession of guns,” said Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Those who traffic illegal firearms, like this defendant, are fueling the fires of gun violence, and with our law enforcement partners we will continue to relentlessly pursue those who seek to profit from these crimes.”

Allow me to retort. No, Congress and the American people have not spoken. The American people are not in favor of the so-called “gun control” measures that were signed into law, or any of them for that matter. Consistent and constant polling, often reported on here at Bearing Arms, shows that “the people” don’t want more restrictions on our rights. Nor do the people think more liberty squishing provisions will be effective. 

Congress? Did they speak? Well, we could say that. Or we could point out that there were a number of RINOs and other traitors not up for reelection that knowingly went against the will of the people. My senators are Booker and Menendez. I expect them to vote my rights away. It’s what liberals do. But there was a different story coming outta Texas on this one, was there not?

As a law abiding gun owner, getting an illegal straw purchaser or gun trafficker off the streets is a win. If we want to debate the eligibility of who should or shouldn’t be able to own firearms, that’s another argument for another day. We all know what the “shall not be infringed” crowd has to say about that. Given the pressure that’s put on law abiding gun owners, with them often taking the full weight of force of any laws which should be directed at the criminal element, we need to support and laud efforts that stop the illegal trafficking of arms…clearly attainable with the resources and laws we already have.