ST. LOUIS — Several firearm agencies gathered in St. Charles County to talk about the importance of background checks when purchasing firearms.
The "Don't Lie for the Other Guy Program" is a message is to remind Missourians that illegally purchasing a firearm for someone who legally cannot -- is a crime, and often results in the loss of human life.
"The program helps the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) educate hardworking employees at firearm retailers, so they are better prepared to spot and deter potential and illegal straw purchases," Joe Bartozzi, National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) president and CEO, said. NSSF is a firearm industry trade association.
Much of their campaign is centered around the term ‘straw purchasing,’ which means one person illegally purchasing a firearm for someone else.
“Any successful strategy to reduce gun violence requires preventing the diversion of lawful firearms into unlawful commerce," Steven Dettelbach, director of ATF, said.
Dettelback also talked about the legal punishments one could face for illegally purchasing a firearm for someone else. This includes up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. There could also be an additional 15 years in prison if the 'straw purchase' crosses state lines.
“Once there, these firearms end up in the hands of people who are sometimes violent criminals and intend to do harm to the people with whom we live, the innocent people who are victims and survivors of gun violence," Dettelbach said.
Dettelbach talked about a woman prosecuted in St. Louis County in 2021 as an example of this crime. He said the woman completed paperwork saying she was purchasing a gun for herself but was really buying it for her brother. They say she didn’t think he was allowed to buy a gun.
“Only 15 days later, that gun was used in a homicide in Wisconsin," he said.
He said this is why the need for background checks is so prevalent.
“The woman who illegally bought the gun may not have pulled the trigger herself, but somebody died as a direct result of her crime," he said.
Sayler Fleming, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri, also used the scenario to talk about the importance of background checks.
“The background check system serves a very important purpose," she said. "It’s intended to prevent those prohibited individuals, for instance convicted felons or certain individuals who are suffering from mental health issues from acquiring a firearm.”
Dettelbach addressed the differing opinions on gun policies by saying there is one thing for everyone to agree on.
“What you see today is a partnership between people who represent organizations and individuals and agencies who may have divergent views. But we can work together, to try to protect the community from something everybody agrees is a crime and needs to be stopped," he said.
Bartozzi said you will find billboards, digital, and radio ads sprinkled throughout St. Louis throughout the month of April to drive home their message.
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