LE sting attempts at Costa Mesa Gunshow

[tankerman]

Was anyone approached at the Costa Mesa gunshow and asked to illegally sell a firearm?

I was asked twice to sell a handgun without doing a PPT. The first time a couple of very LE looking and acting guys asked me if we could do the deal without all the silly paperwork. It really felt like a set-up.

The second time I actually had a non-FFL vendor with a table ask me to do the samething.

Both instances I politely declined and quickly walked away.

I regularly bring guns to sell or trade, this was the first time I have ever felt like I was being tested by LE.

Anyone else ever experience a situation like this at a gunshow?

[C.G.]

Did the guy have any mahagony wood chips in his hair?

[CALI-gula]

...Anyone else ever experience a situation like this at a gunshow?

Not at a gun show, but about 2 years ago, I was contacted by a guy on Gunsamerica about a handgun, and when we met, he did everything he could to try to get me to sell him the handgun without going through a dealer - even as we had met at the dealer.

THEN the said dealer suddenly has computer issues and can't do the DROS - says he has had troubles with his computer all day. Here's the interesting part - I had arrived at the appointed dealer a whole 30-Minutes early, and the buyer was already in the store and hanging out talking to the salesperson that was to do the PPT. I had called the buyer that morning and thought I was going to get stuck in traffic, and had let him know that I might be running a little late. Traffic had cleared, so I got there early. They were surprised to see me when I came in.

Even more weird; his "friend" was waiting out in a car in the parking lot. When said dealer had "DROS" problems all day (you would think he would have mentioned this already to the buyer before I got there) I then offered we go to another dealer in the area.

So we get in his car; me in the back seat, friend in the driver's seat, buyer in the passenger seat - a beautiful NEW Mercedes. I start suggesting dealers in the area to do the PPT and the buyer suddenly says no, he was in a rush and we would have to do it another day, unless we could just do it without 4473/DROS then and there. He then starts pulling out hundreds from his wallet and counting, and holds up $900 cash (my asking price on the gun). I look down at the floor of the Mercedes and see the very top edge of AVIS brochures and a rental receipt dated for that day, sticking out from under the passenger's seat.

I say no way. Naw, I would only do it through a dealer. Then he offers me 1/2 the cash as a deposit until we can do the paperwork, and to let him take the gun with him. Ummmm... NO! So, we plan to meet a week later - we do, and at a different dealer - closer to me this time - we do the paperwork. We get around to talking, and he starts in with "well since I know you now, and you know me that my 4473/DROS comes back good anyway, ummmmm, I could get you some things, or we could trade and such, without having to do all the paperwork garbage".

I said "Maybe" - and never contacted him ever again. 2 months later, the very same gun I sold to this guy was posted on Gunsamerica - for $200 LESS than I sold it to him for. Probably DOJ or ATF trying to re-coup some of their cost.

[hoffmang]

I think a fun response at a show where someone is trying to entrap you is to threaten to perform a citizen's arrest for a felony.

I'd love to have Iggy's crew explain to a magistrate that they were just trolling.

-Gene

[wilit]

You should've turned the tables on him. Should've gotten his number and called the ATF.

[Bad Voodoo]

I think a fun response at a show where someone is trying to entrap you is to threaten to perform a citizen's arrest for a felony.

I'd love to have Iggy's crew explain to a magistrate that they were just trolling.

-Gene

They're too afraid to operate in the hood where all the real illegal transactions take place so they've become quite accustomed to trolling FFLs and gun shows (and now internet forums, apparently) for "illicit" activity. They've got to have some reason to justify tipping/feeding the media and local politicos with false, dramatic information about these "gun show loopholes," don't they? Jeezus, a week doesn't go by that I'm not seeing camera footage from the parking lot of a CA gun show.

They'll keep trolling until they get the poor schmuck who doesn't know the law, too, and crucify him publicly and loudly so they can justify their current tactics and keep themselves out of harms way (from a real-world LE perspective), like maybe running stings in East Oakland for instance.

[Patriot]

So if they push you, one could say "Not right now; but I can call you if I think about it and reconsider" (because the Not right now but is clearly a negative response in keeping with legality, while the "carrot" is noncommittal but hopefully enough to get contact info). Then you can call ATF or the local PD

[Mac]

....

[USN CHIEF]

Were they wearing white socks?

I don't get it...

[odysseus]

Not at a gun show, but about 2 years ago...

Heck of a story. Car was probably bugged too...

[Rob P.]

If I was ever at a show and someone did this to me, I'd think long and hard about saying something like:

"What? Wait a sec. Lets get out of the crush and go over there....."

And, when you get "over there" you calmly walk up to show security and inform them in a loud voice that the person with you had just attempted to commit a felony offense of buying a firearm without DROS.

[USN CHIEF]

If I was ever at a show and someone did this to me, I'd think long and hard about saying something like:

"What? Wait a sec. Lets get out of the crush and go over there....."

And, when you get "over there" you calmly walk up to show security and inform them in a loud voice that the person with you had just attempted to commit a felony offense of buying a firearm without DROS.

That would have been amazing..

[virulosity]

You should've turned the tables on him. Should've gotten his number and called the ATF.

I agree. What if it wasn't an agent, but a murderer, convict, etc. Either way people that try to circumvent FFL laws are just making us enthusiasts look bad.

[RP1911]

So we get in his car; me in the back seat, friend in the driver's seat, buyer in the passenger seat - a beautiful NEW Mercedes. I start suggesting dealers in the area to do the PPT and the buyer suddenly says no, he was in a rush and we would have to do it another day, unless we could just do it without 4473/DROS then and there. He then starts pulling out hundreds from his wallet and counting, and holds up $900 cash (my asking price on the gun). I look down at the floor of the Mercedes and see the very top edge of AVIS brochures and a rental receipt dated for that day, sticking out from under the passenger's seat.

You got into a car with two total strangers?

I would have taken my own car and had them follow me.

You should have had the dealer you were at first, do the DROS worksheet if his computer was acting up.

[tyrist]

I am not sure what words were actually used but if you are giving the whole story I believe you were dealing with crimminals. Police cannot ask you to perform an illegal act and then arrest you for agreeing.

As I said this comes down to language but an Officer cannot walk up to some guy and ask them to do a transfer without doing the paper work and then arrest you for agreeing. They are not allowed to put the thought of the crime in your head.

Also drug and gun runners use rental cars. For some strange reason most of them are rented out of Nevada in my experiance.