ATLANTA — Channel 2 Action News has an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) battle against people who pretend to buy guns legally for personal use, but are actually buying them for people who aren’t supposed to have them.
Channel 2 Investigative Reporter Mark Winne talked to an agent on Thursday at ATF Atlanta headquarters who has worked undercover.
ATF Atlanta calls them “straw purchasers.”
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They say the purchasers may not think about it this way, but they’re often putting guns in the hands of gangs, traffickers, and other violent criminals.
ATF Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Ben Gibbons says stopping the steady stream of straw purchasers in metro Atlanta is part of a new promotional push in Atlanta called “Don’t Lie For The Other Guy.”
Gibbons says depending on the circumstances, straw buyers, if convicted in federal court, can get up to 15 years in prison, plus even more if it’s with the intent of trafficking across state lines.
“It’s not a victimless crime. These firearms will wind up on the street. They will wind up harming and/or killing individuals,” Gibbons said. “Firearms go to Canada, Mexico, all throughout the Caribbean, Central and South America, as far as countries in Africa and/or Europe.”
“How much did these guns sell for in a Georgia gun store?” Winne asked.
“They could range from $250 to $600,” Gibbons said.
“How much would they bring in another country or U.S. territory?” Winne asked.
“Up to $8,000,” Gibbons said.
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ATF Atlanta says the National Shooting Sports Foundation, a gun industry group, is a major driver of the “Don’t Lie For The Other Guy” campaign which will include billboards, radio ads, social media, and more.
ATF Atlanta indicates that the U.S. Attorney’s Office plays an important role in prosecuting cases.
“The fuel for violent crime is often illegal firearm possession. Simply put, responsible, lawful gun owners don’t need another person to buy the firearm for them,” U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia Ryan Buchanan said.
Winne spoke to an ATF Agent who has worked undercover on deals involving a lot of firearms at one time, who said just knowing that you’re protecting the citizens and being able to get the guns off the street is what he thinks about.
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