Editors Note: The following press release is directly from ATF. Regular readers of AmmoLand News know our stance on the unaccountable Federal Agency: No comment. We invite our readers to leave their hard-hitting insights in the comments below.
At Least 75 Guns Purchased in Just Six Months.
Texas – -(AmmoLand.com)-The Justice Department announced today that a man who allegedly purchased guns later used in multiple incidents in the United States and Canada has been charged with federal firearm crimes. According to court documents, Demontre Antwon Hackworth, 31, allegedly purchased at least 92 guns from federally licensed firearms dealers, including 75 guns in just six months from a single dealer that later relinquished its seller’s license.
“As part of the Department-wide anti-violent crime strategy we launched last year, we are marshalling the resources of every one of our U.S. Attorneys’ offices, law enforcement agencies, grant-making entities, and other components to work in partnership with state and local law enforcement to disrupt violent crime,” Attorney General Merrick B Garland said at a press conference in Washington, DC on Monday. “We are cracking down on the criminal gun-trafficking pipelines that flood our communities with illegal guns, and we have instructed our federal prosecutors and law enforcement agents to prioritize prosecutions of those who are responsible for the greatest gun violence. The case we are announcing today is just one example of those efforts.”
“The second amendment protects the rights of law-abiding citizens – but not prohibited persons, or those who arm them,” said U.S. Attorney Chad Meacham for the Northern District of Texas. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office, ATF Dallas, and the entire Department of Justice is working our level best to keep guns away from dangerous offenders before they can put finger to trigger.”
“Illegal firearms trafficking is not a victimless crime,” said Special Agent in Charge Jeff Boshek of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Dallas Field Division. “There are real consequences when individuals illegally engage in the business of buying and selling firearms. ATF will continue to use all available resources to strategically target and identify illegal firearms sales, trafficking patterns, and sources of crime guns; and to interrupt the illegal flow of firearms to criminal gang members, felons, firearm traffickers, and all persons who are otherwise prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law.”
Despite claiming to be the actual transferee (i.e. buyer) of the firearms, Hackworth allegedly engaged in the business of reselling the guns without a federal firearm license and without conducting required background checks.
Federal law prohibits individuals engaging in the business of dealing in firearms – defined as repeatedly devoting time and attention to purchasing and reselling guns for pecuniary gain – from doing so without a license.
At least 16 of the guns Hackworth purchased are alleged to have been subsequently recovered in Texas, Maryland, and Canada from incidents that include homicide, aggravated assault, and drug trafficking.
As alleged in the indictment, according to an analysis by the ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), three of the recovered guns had been used in multiple crimes. One gun was used in three separate criminal incidents – two aggravated assaults and one unlawful possession; and two more were used in two incidents each. At least 14 of the 16 recovered guns were recovered in incidents within one year of purchase. One was recovered from an incident just seven days after Hackworth purchased it.
Hackworth was indicted on June 7 [2022] for dealing firearms without a license and making false statements during the purchase of a firearm. He was arrested by ATF agents in Dallas on Friday and made his initial appearance in the Northern District of Texas on Monday. If convicted, he faces up to 35 years in federal prison, with a statutory maximum penalty of five years for dealing without a license and up to 10 years for each count of false statement during purchase. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The ATF’s Dallas Field Division, in partnership with the agency’s Crime Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC) program, conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanna Etessam is prosecuting the case with the help of Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Calvert for the Northern District of Texas.
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives
ATF is the federal law enforcement agency responsible for investigating violations of the federal firearms and explosives laws and regulations. More information about ATF and its programs can be found at www.atf.gov.
:Justice Department Announces Charges Against Alleged Gun Trafficker”
My first thoughts were: Holder, Obama ?
ATF? FBI? CIA? Uvalde PD?
A well regulated militia, being necessary to a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. The second amendment, THE constitutional law of the land that EVERY leo, judge, lawyer, legislator and potus has to swear allegiance to when taking office therefore, whoever is involved with this case and any other case involving any free American citizen’s right, our constitutional legal and GOD given right, to keep and bear arms is legally treasonous and tyrannical and they are accountable not only to the courts but also to any American citizen they may… Read more »
No, you are just deflecting form you wanting violent felons to have guns! There are other weapons- AKA “arms” that are not firearms the Felons you love can have
If they’re so violent then why are they not still in prison? No free man should be barred the use of arms.
while i fully agree all free persons should have that right, we still need to get a handle on these liberal prosecutors and courts to make sure that certain segment of our population stays locked up. if not, sooner or later their subculture behavior will find you…. or your family.
Lefty, felons are going to have guns anyway. They don’t obey the law, and supply and demand will compel someone to provide the supply. The only solutions to felons committing felonies with guns, or any other weapon, is for their intended victims to be able to defend themselves with guns or any other weapons, regardless fo their own historical status.
CRIMINALS DO NOT OBEY ANY GUN LAWS / OR ANY KIND OF LAWS ‘! IE.. THE REASON THEY ARE CALLED “CRIMINALS’ == WHAT PART OF THIS DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND? DON’T MATTER HOW MANY LAWS THE MAKE UP! THE LAWS ONLY “RESTRICT THE CITIZENS WHO OBEY THEM” = THAT IS THE MAJORITY OF US WHO ARE CIVIL TO EACH OTHER! CRIMINALS DON’T GIVE A CHIT ABOUT ANYONE OR HUMAN LIFE! LOOK WHAT GANG MEMBERS DO! FACT = MAJORITY OF ILLEGALS ARE JOINING ‘GANGS’!!! = IF ‘WE THE PEOPLE ‘ ARE “DISARMED’ WHAT DO “YOU THINK WILL HAPPEN “? WE WILL… Read more »
The fine points about being a straw purchaser or simply a gun nut that would buy and sell a lot of guns is for a jury to decide. I suspect it won’t be hard to figure out.
AMEN ! BRO — WELL SAID = I AGREE 110%
Crime was probably just a temporary way to make ends meet for Demontre. Just until some liberal comes along and discovers him as a rapper.
WTH?
“Hackworth is also facing jail time for allegedly lying that he was purchasing the guns for himself. Authorities said Hackworth has a Texas license to carry a handgun, which allowed him to purchase guns without a background check. While federal gun sellers are required to perform background checks, Texans with a license to carry are exempted. It’s unclear whether a background check or repeated checks would have stopped the suspect from buying the guns.”
https://www.keranews.org/texas-news/2022-06-15/authorities-arrest-dallas-area-gun-trafficker-who-used-license-to-carry-to-skirt-background-checks
name sounds like he should be selling axes or machete
Look, I have nothing against preventing criminals from obtaining firearms, or going after those who supply firearms to unlicensed criminals. Another words, enforcing the laws that are on the books, is not something we should be up in arms about. As long as that is as far as it goes, I’m all for it. As long there is no gray areas that are open to alternative intepretations by anti-Gunners, then I’m all for it. If we can prevent all criminals from obtaining illegal guns, then I won’t mind not having a need to draw my weapon. But we also know… Read more »
Hackworth was blantly supplying his punk cousins with firearms to wreck havoc on our streets and some of you are okay with this? WTFF! Given the average IQ is only 100, there’s no need to show yours is boderline retard.