Connecticut man sentenced for smuggling guns into state

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There are a number of states that simply don’t like guns. They restrict them and would ban them if they could get away with it. They can’t because of that pesky Second Amendment thing, but you know they want to deep in their soul no matter what politicians there say.

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But since they can’t, they tend to pass as many restrictive laws as they can with regard to firearms.

Yet the recent sentencing of a man in Connecticut–an anti-gun state–illustrates the futility of that.

A city man was sentenced to 10 years in prison Tuesday after ferrying guns to Connecticut, including two used in homicides, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Connecticut.

Alberto Vazquez, 39, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to deal in firearms without a license and to unlawfully transport firearms, unlawful transportation of firearms and unlawful possession of firearms by a felon, officials said.

The investigation began as Hartford police and agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives recovered firearms from South Carolina on multiple occasions.

“The investigation revealed that Vazquez, a felon who cannot lawfully purchase or possess firearms, conspired with individuals in South Carolina, including Joshua Bentz and Tywonda Bentz, to purchase firearms from a licensed gun dealer in Columbia, South Carolina, transport them to Connecticut, and sell them to felons and other customers in the Hartford area,” officials said.

See, while many will blame South Carolina for having insufficient gun control laws in place, we need to remember that Vazquez couldn’t lawfully buy a firearm anywhere. He’s a convicted felon. Those are barred from buying guns at the federal level. States can’t opt to ignore that.

Yet he still was able to get guns that he could then smuggle into Connecticut.

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You see, when there is a demand for guns, a supply will emerge. In this case, it’s guns smuggled from South Carolina. In Europe, it’s toy guns modified to fire real rounds. No matter where you go, there will be someone who will provide whatever it is criminals want.

It’s not going to stop.

What the laws have done, though, is make it more difficult for the law-abiding people of Connecticut to get guns themselves. That means they’re less likely to have the means to resist people armed by folks like Vazquez.

Gun control is a losing proposition…unless you’re a criminal looking to find a way to make a profit.

For them, these measures are a goldmine. They’re damn near a license to print money. All they have to do is supply the demand and they can make bank.

Sure, some might get caught. Vazquez did, after all, but none of them think about that. They all think they’re too smart to get caught. They’re not, but they think they are.

So, they roll with it and without a care in the world.

Meanwhile, criminals get guns while law-abiding citizens have to jump through hoops. It’s no wonder many opt not to. So who gets the upper hand in this?

It’s not the good guys.

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