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.
DENVER –-(AmmoLand.com)- The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado, the ATF and the Denver Police Department, are joining forces to raise awareness about gun violence that is taking innocent lives.
Illegally owned, privately made firearms or “ghost guns” are part of the problem.
“Ghost guns” are guns that do not have serial numbers, making them harder to trace if used in a crime. These guns are often purchased without a background check, even though such purchases are illegal. “Untraceable firearms are being used to commit crimes. People who wouldn’t otherwise be able to get a gun because of their age or background, are getting ahold of these weapons,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge David S. Booth.
The Department of Justice reports 45-thousand privately made firearms are known, including 692 guns linked to murder or attempted homicide investigations.
One defendant is warning others about the dangers of getting caught up in this criminal activity.
Saul Ramirez Escobedo used to build ghost guns. Escobedo said a close relative recruited him to buy parts, make the weapons, and sell them.
Escobedo said, “When COVID hit, my job slowed down a lot. I was struggling to pay my bills. He taught me how to build firearms. You construct your own firearm, you go out, shoot it, it works. I’ve never been in trouble with the law before. Never done this kind of stuff before. The way he explained it to me, you won’t get in trouble. It was more cause like it was cheaper selling it from outside than going to the store and going through the whole process.”
But Escobedo did get in trouble. He was arrested and pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to deal firearms without a license. Escobedo received leniency for his willingness to accept responsibility, and Judge Christine M. Arguello sentenced Escobedo to four years of probation, and he is now a convicted felon.
“Right now, you look at the media, there’s a lot of killings going on, you see a lot of people shooting each other, mass killings and stuff. I started looking into that and thought, ‘man that could be one of the guns I put out on the streets’, and it’s really scary,” Escobedo said.
Co-defendant, Luis Daniel Marquez, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to deal firearms without a license and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Judge Arguello sentenced Marquez to 90 months in federal prison.
“We will use all available tools to tackle gun violence. We remain committed to saving innocent lives by enforcing federal firearms laws,” said United States Attorney Cole Finegan.
Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas said, “In Denver, it is illegal to possess or manufacture non serialized firearms. And the Denver Police Department is committed to recovering illegal guns, to include ghost guns, to keep people safe and prevent gun violence in our community.“
Dealing firearms without a license is illegal. Call the ATF at 888-ATF-TIPS to report illegal firearms activity.
- Ghost Gun Public Service Announcement (link is external)
- Ghost Gun PSA “In His Own Words”(link is external)
This public service announcement is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
On April 11, 2022, the Attorney General signed ATF final rule, Definition of “Frame or Receiver” and Identification of Firearms, which modernizes the definition of a firearm. This rule went into effect late this summer and clarifies that parts kits that are readily convertible to firearms are subject to the same regulations as traditional firearms. These regulatory updates will help curb the proliferation of “ghost guns,” which are often assembled from kits, do not contain serial numbers, and are sold without background checks, making them difficult to trace and easy to acquire by criminals. More information can be found here: ATF Definition of “Frame or Receiver” and Identification of Firearms
CASE NUMBER: 21-cr-0014
Denver Field Division
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.
Guilty until proven innocent.
They have been beating the “Ghost Guns” drum since before Trump was elected. I bought a lower just before the ATF raid on Ares Armor while Obama was in office. They have no substantial statistics that home built firearms using off the shelf 80% kits are used in violent crimes at a significant level. They have talking points that have no basis in hard facts. Yet they push on. The ATF is creating laws as they go to create crimes they can prosecute. If we allow it, we deserve it.
according to their statement 692 of 45,000, only 0.015% of “ghost guns” were used in murders or attempted homicides.
now are those “ghost guns” homemade or firearms with serial numbers obliterated?
war – one ‘minor’ quibble with your otherwise good comment: the bats don’t create laws, they create rules and/or regulations. Laws must be passed via the legislative branch. Granted, once those ‘rules’ become codified they in effect have the same force as properly enacted as laws.
It is almost as if they are intentionally muddying the waters to induce confusion…………….
Its -33 degrees here at my house this morning , guess that will be the serial number for my ghost -33 FJB
Serial number = no evidence!?!
Bullsquat
DNA, fingerprints, bullet/case markings etc
What it means is law enforcement has to do a little work. Ain’t no different than a gun that’s been sold a dozen times and doesn’t have a paper trail
This article by the ATF has been very enlightening. I never new before that every time a crime was committed with a firearm that the criminal left it behind as evidence. How else would the ATF know there is a proliferation of PMFs used in crime and that is the reason shootings are not solved instantaneously.
I need to find out where Escobedo shops. I’ve never seen an PMF that was less expensive to build than to buy a mass produced firearm.
The ATF is spreading lies just like potus, there is no way that they can know how many homemade firearms are out and about, telling the public that 45,000 privately made firearms are known to exist is BS.
Liars.
More lies from the communists at the alphabet agencies. The Department of jerks has no idea how many privately made firearms exist. That’s the whole point.
Its -33 degrees at my house this morning actual temperature , I believe that -33 is a great serial number for my Ghost . LOL
FJB
If the Dept of Injustice “knows” there are 45K ghost guns out there, they can’t be very ghostly.
Sounds like someone pulled a number from their nether region.
How many gun crimes have been solved by tracing a serial number.I,ll bet it is very small.
Their “defendant” is kissing their backsides feverishly in an effort to get a deferred prosecution. No telling who he’s named and whether they’re guilty or innocent.
I guess the All For Tyranny agency failed American history? Home made firearms were prevalent before there was a United States of America.
Question that is never asked or answered: “How many crimes have been solved by tracing the firearm using the serial number?”
“Saul” sounded scripted and rehearsed.
I’d like to know where he’s buying his 80% lowers from! The cheapest I’ve ever seen are $85, that doesn’t include jig and tools needed to finish. Kits with jig run $120+.
Right now I can buy a finished lower for $35 right down the street.
All the other parts cost the same wether it’s an 80% or finished lower.
Then there’s the “my friend said I wouldn’t get in trouble”. Yeah as long as you don’t get caught.
He bought his ticket; he knew what he was getting into.
Firearm tracing is only useful AFTER the crime assuming the criminal was dead or dumb enough to leave it behind! It will only show who the original purchaser was….Maybe.
This is false flag B.S.!
BTW, Buying all the components needed to complete a home-built firearm; not counting the time required to build, test and tinker with the final product should it not function properly will exceed the cost of the same commercially produced version.
dont know why a pro gun site keeps allowing tyrants to have a voice here let alone let them advertise without saying they are tyrants that need removed
Constitutional right to build my own firearm! “Shall not infringe”
There are multiple lies of omission here. “Ghost guns” may have been outlawed in Denver, but they are legal in general. Both the article and video try to make “ghost guns” sound categorically illegal by intentionally oversimplifying and not telling the whole story. What is illegal is engaging in the business of dealing and/or manufacturing firearms without a license. That is not new. Purchases are also not illegal. It is the licensed dealer who is required to complete a background check and 4473. Again, unlicensed manufacturing and/or dealing or licensed manufacturing and/or dealing that doesn’t comply with regulations is what… Read more »
There is no such thing as gun violence. There are violent criminals, most of which are repeat offenders released by the criminal justice system well before their sentences were served and there is black violence which is the majority of the above mentioned criminal element. There someone actually said it out loud.
The whole point is, this schmuck did something illegal. It’s been illegal for quite awhile, and he knowingly broke the Law.
I still maintain that until I see definitive evidence of how many unserialized builds are used in crimes versus guns with defaced serial numbers used in crimes, you won’t convince me that the ATF isn’t making mountains out of molehills.
‘ghost gun’ legally obtained gun from an FFL, stolen from a LEO vehicle or National Guard armory, bought at a gun show or other second party acquisition simply Does Not Matter. It is the use of that gun to commit a crime that is the issue. Until the criminals are properly dealt with (locked up for extended period – decades at least) the “gun violence” issue will not go away, Prove me wrong.
“Look, we know your story about how your cousin saying it was “alright”, was bewlshite, but we’re willing to cut a plea if you’ll make some propaganda PSA’s for us…”
F*ck every atf nazi bastard and their extended families.
PUBLISH THEIR HOME ADDRESSES!