Vet sells illegal a gun - Seller busted - Illegal Walks

chanel

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Jun 8, 2009
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People's Republic of NJ
Gun rights advocates are up in arms that a Texas gun dealer was sentenced to six months in prison for selling a firearm to an illegal immigrant, but a "middle-man" who bought the gun for the immigrant -- and who was in the U.S. illegally himself, but had a valid driver's license -- was never arrested, charged or deported in the case.

Paul Copeland, 56, a Vietnam veteran, was sentenced to prison time and two years probation in federal court last week for selling a gun to an undocumented alien, Hipolito Aviles, at the Texas Gun Show in Austin in January.

But Aviles wasn't the man who handed Copeland the money for the gun. That man was Leonel Huerta Sr., who presented as identification the valid Texas driver's license he had obtained before his visa expired in 2007.

Copeland claimed he was presented with a valid driver's license and had no way of knowing that the man he was selling the gun to was an illegal immigrant, or that he intended to give the gun to another illegal immigrant.

Velte says that decision should "enrage all Americans."

"The illegal alien walks free, but the citizen gets convicted," he said. "The same government charged with controlling immigration is the one using illegal immigrants to attack its own citizens. Does this make any sense?"

FOXNews.com - Gun Dealer Gets Prison for Selling to Illegal Immigrant; Illegal 'Middle Man' Not Charged

Special protections for non-citizens. This shit has got to stop.
 
Blaming others for your own crimes. The GOP way.

"Agents witnessed the Defendant (Copeland) negotiate a price for a handgun with Hipolito Aviles, who then handed cash to a second Hispanic male, who then handed Aviles' cash and his own identification to the defendant," the prosecution said in court documents.
"The Defendant in turn sold the firearm and handed it to the 'straw' purchaser, who then handed the firearm to Hipolito Aviles. The Defendant then instructed Mr. Aviles to hand the firearm back to the straw purchaser because he had 'bought' the firearm. Agents witnessed the straw purchaser hand the firearm back to Hipolito Aviles a short time later."
Aviles, the undocumented immigrant, was charged with possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, served a little over six months in prison and was deported on July 8, U.S. Attorney's Office spokesman Daryl Fields said.
 
That's not who paid for the gun. And the bigger question is: who has the responsibility to check the immigration status of the purchaser? Isn't that argument that the feds are using with AZ? "It's not your job. It's ours".
 
That's not who paid for the gun. And the bigger question is: who has the responsibility to check the immigration status of the purchaser? Isn't that argument that the feds are using with AZ? "It's not your job. It's ours".

Did he speekee English?
 
If he really didn't know the gun was going to Aviles, then I'd be sympathetic to Copeland. But clearly that wasn't the case. I think 6 months is reasonable.
 
The fact that Huera and Aviles were not here legally is largely insignificant and just obfuscates the central point. What Copeland did was illegal, even if both Huerta and Aviles were natural born American citizens.
 
I'm not sure why they decided not to prosecute Huerta, but that doesn't change the fact that Copeland committed a crime either way. And just like with anything sold illegally, if the goal is to reduce overall sales, you get a lot more bang for your [arrest and prosecutorial] buck by going after the sellers than you do the buyers.

Of course if Huerta was doing this for a "fee," that would make him an effective "seller" too. And if it turns out he does this regularly then he should go away for a lot longer than Copeland.
 
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Blaming others for your own crimes. The GOP way.

"Agents witnessed the Defendant (Copeland) negotiate a price for a handgun with Hipolito Aviles, who then handed cash to a second Hispanic male, who then handed Aviles' cash and his own identification to the defendant," the prosecution said in court documents.
"The Defendant in turn sold the firearm and handed it to the 'straw' purchaser, who then handed the firearm to Hipolito Aviles. The Defendant then instructed Mr. Aviles to hand the firearm back to the straw purchaser because he had 'bought' the firearm. Agents witnessed the straw purchaser hand the firearm back to Hipolito Aviles a short time later."
Aviles, the undocumented immigrant, was charged with possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, served a little over six months in prison and was deported on July 8, U.S. Attorney's Office spokesman Daryl Fields said.

That Avatar and your comment suits you it's about as dumb as using a picture of obama.
 
It's a hallmark of totalitarian Big Governments to punish the innocent. It's far easier and sends the message to the rest of the law-abiding folks that total submission is mandatory.

The seller checked ID, which is part of the required process. The government body that issues a valid license to an illegal is guilty, as well as the middleman and the illegal. But instead of punishing them, a sacrifice must be made to the Political Correctness Demigod.
 
It's a hallmark of totalitarian Big Governments to punish the innocent. It's far easier and sends the message to the rest of the law-abiding folks that total submission is mandatory.

The seller checked ID, which is part of the required process. The government body that issues a valid license to an illegal is guilty, as well as the middleman and the illegal. But instead of punishing them, a sacrifice must be made to the Political Correctness Demigod.

:rofl:

So Copeland is "innocent" in your eyes. :lol:
 
It's a hallmark of totalitarian Big Governments to punish the innocent. It's far easier and sends the message to the rest of the law-abiding folks that total submission is mandatory.

Do you have some evidence that he wasn't found guilty by a jury of his peers? If so, please link it.

Otherwise you should just STFU with your big brother horseshit, lest you betray serious partisan hackery. :thup:
 

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