Page 70 - American Rifleman (February 2020)

INSIDE NRA | ILA REPORT

Crooked California: Bad Gun-Control Laws

Once Again Foster Official Corruption

LATEST n news that will not shock gun-rights Further, the manufacturer must pay an annual
supporters, the anti-gun utopia of California fee for the firearm to remain on the roster.
LEGISLATIVE I has provided further evidence that unjust As some firearms are not designed with
gun-control laws invite official corruption. the mechanisms California requires, they
NEWS FROM
According to a press release from the cannot meet the state’s criteria and are
INSIDE THE NRA U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District unavailable for sale to the general public.
of California, former San Diego County Penal Code § 32000 includes an exemption
INSTITUTE FOR Sheriff’s Captain Marco Garmo was arrested for the sale or purchase of off-roster handguns
LEGISLATIVE Nov. 22 for allegedly using his position to to “sworn members” of “the Department
circumvent the state’s “roster of certified of Justice, a police department, a sheriff’s
ACTION handguns.” Further, another individual official, a marshal’s office,” as well as other law
allegedly made “unlawful payments” to a enforcement agencies.
member of the county’s “CCW processing The press release indicated that Garmo
staff” to assist in the acquisition of may-issue was allegedly working with local jeweler
California Concealed Weapons Permits. Leo Hamel and Federal Firearms Licensee
Readers should note that at press time, Giovanni Tilotta to acquire and sell off-roster
some of those mentioned in this article had handguns to those who would not qualify for
yet to be convicted of the crimes which the an exemption under Penal Code § 32000. In
state or federal government has accused describing the scheme, the report explained,
them of committing. “As part of his guilty plea, Leo Hamel, the
California Penal Code § 32000 provides owner of Leo Hamel Fine Jewelers, admitted to
a penalty for a person “who manufactures purchasing a variety of off-roster handguns from
or causes to be manufactured, imports into Garmo, and engineered a series of ‘straw pur-
the state for sale, keeps for sale, offers or chases’ in which Garmo would falsely certify that
exposes for sale, gives, or lends an unsafe he was acquiring an ‘off-roster’ gun for himself
handgun.” The state maintains a “roster” of when in truth he was purchasing it for Hamel.
“safe” handguns that have met the anti-gun Hamel further admitted that he acquired several
jurisdiction’s criteria for sale. firearms from Garmo without proper documen-
In order for a handgun to be certified for tation through bogus, long-term firearm ‘loans’
sale, a firearm manufacturer must send an in exchange for money—which were sales in all
example of the handgun to a U.S. Department but name. Hamel agreed in his plea to conduct-
of Justice certified laboratory for testing. ing straw purchases with Garmo and Lt. Fred
Handguns must meet a drop-test requirement Magana, and to planning with Garmo and Tilotta
and include certain mechanisms, including to construct a false paper trail to make it appear
unavailable microstamping technology. that the straw purchases were legitimate…”
First Assistant U.S. Attorney
Peter Mazza speaks to
reporters on Nov. 22, 2019
during a press conference in
San Diego after federal agents
arrested Marco Garmo, a
former captain in the San
Diego County Sheriff’s
Department, who was charged
with operating an illegal
firearms trafficking business.
Photo by Gregory Bull/AP Images

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68 FEBRUARY 2020 AMERICAN RIFLEMAN