SAN DIEGO, Nov. 3 CA-ATF-weapons-seized
SAN DIEGO, Nov. 3 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), today announced the arrest of a La Mesa man for illegally purchasing firearms and ammunition in Arizona and transporting them into California. David F. Morgan, 55, was arrested after agents discovered he had been illegally trafficking numerous firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition. A total of 48 firearms and more than 200,000 rounds of various calibers of ammunition were seized in this investigation.
The seizure and arrest took place late Thursday when ATF agents served a search warrant at Morgan's residence located in the 4300 block of Avon Dr., in La Mesa. The investigation revealed that Morgan falsified information and used a fictitious address to obtain a valid Arizona identification card. Morgan used that identification to purchase firearms in Arizona and then transport them to his true residence in California in violation of federal law.
"ATF will vigorously pursue any individual or group that illegally purchases and traffics firearms in violation of federal law," said John A. Torres, special agent in charge of ATF's Los Angeles Field Division. "This is a common scheme used by firearms traffickers, where they exploit less restrictive laws in neighboring states to purchase large numbers of firearms and then transport those firearms into California. We also see this same type of scenario employed by organizations trafficking firearms from the United States into Mexico," added Torres.
Morgan has no known criminal history, and no motive for his activity has been uncovered thus far. The seized firearms include rifles, handguns and several firearms modified in violation of California law. This investigation is ongoing.
More information about ATF and its programs is available at www.atf.gov.
Contact: Michael Hoffman, Special Agent - PIO
Office: (818) 265-2507
Cell: (213) 925-4547
michael.hoffman@atf.gov
SOURCE Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
