Texas Man Accused Of Reselling Guns Purchased At Gun Shows

Casmiro Tapia of Medina County in Texas is in a bit of hot water. What did he do? Well, he sold some guns.

Not a big deal, right? I mean, a lot of us have sold some guns that we either didn’t want or when cash was tight. Nothing illegal about that in most states, particularly in Texas.

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However, buying them especially for resale when you don’t have a dealer’s license is a bit of a no-no, and that’s exactly what Tapia is accused of doing.

Medina County man is facing federal charges after being caught up in a sting conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Casmiro Barba Tapia, 46, is accused of buying dozens of guns at Texas gun shows and then reselling them.

Tapia, who’s currently out on bond, refused to answer questions about the charges he’s facing when the Defenders went to his home in Natalia.

According to a criminal complaint filed in August, Tapia is accused of making false statements during the purchase of a firearm and engaging in the firearms business without a license.

Tapia became the focus of an ATF investigation in May after Mexican law enforcement officers recovered five semiautomatic pistols at a crime scene in Guadalajara.

The guns were traced back to Tapia who allegedly bought them from a federal firearms licensee in Texas on April 13, just 17 days before they were recovered in Mexico.

BATFE agents allege they’ve identified dozens of firearms purchased by Tapia from the same San Antonio dealer, including from that dealer at an area gun show.

They also claim that Tapia made regular trips over the border to sell his guns, often mere days after buying several guns at Texas shows.

In the criminal complaint, officials allege Tapia bought 52 guns between January and August of this year. Police in Mexico have recovered five of the weapons Tapia reportedly purchased. A total of three others were found in his home.

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Tapia is alleged to have told police that he made between $50 and $70 per gun he sold.

Folks, this is a problem. Yes, you can buy as many guns as you want, as you should be able to. Yes, you can sell them, as you should be able to. But if you buy them explicitly so you can sell them in another country where they’re illegal, you’re breaking the law. Yes, Mexicans have a right to defend themselves too, but that’s for Mexicans to hash out with their government.

Instead, all Tapia has done is make gun buyers look guilty. He’s managed to justify every concern some people have of gun owners, despite the fact that this is just one guy who has broken the law while millions of others did no such thing.

Tapia will be prosecuted for his alleged crimes, and if he’s found guilty, I hope he receives the maximum sentence possible. I may not like gun laws as a general thing, but I really don’t like those who break them for fun and profit.

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