(This post may contain disputed claims. We make no assertions as to the validity of the information presented by our Opinion Columnist. We are an opinion blog, not a traditional news outlet, and this post should be treated as such. Enjoy.)The state of Texas is renowned for its support of the Second Amendment. You’ll be hard pressed to find a state that celebrates the right to bear arms more. But a couple in Texas was arrested after purchasing $45,000 worth of rifles. The reason will astound you.
Gun ownership rights vary widely from state to state. In some hard-left regions of the country, a law-abiding citizen can kiss their Second Amendment rights goodbye. Other states have incredibly lax laws, giving citizens much more freedom when it comes to owning and selling firearms.
In the Lone Star State, gun ownership is all but a given. Texans are proud of their Second Amendment rights. And they don’t mind telling you about it. While they have strict guidelines and follow federally-mandated regulations, it’s not too hard for a Texan to purchase a gun.
But what if you bought a lot of guns? What if you spent a cool $45K on rifles? Well, that might raise the suspicions of federal authorities, even in Texas.
A Texas couple did just that. Recently, Francisco Sevilla-Alvarez and his wife Perla Franco-Hernandez allegedly got their hands on $45,000 worth of rifles and a silencer. Guns can be pricey. But dropping that much money on guns is enough to attract attention.
The average Texan wouldn’t spend that much, just for their Second Amendment freedoms, right? (Well, maybe a few would). Just what the heck was this couple buying with so much cash? And why?
As it turns out, according to court documents, the couple was purchasing a small army’s worth of guns for someone in Mexico.
A Texas couple acted as straw buyers for someone in Mexico by purchasing several high-dollar rifles and attempting to send them across the border, court documents said…
The couple lives in Presidio, a border town in Texas, and purchased the rifles from a dealer more than 500 miles northeast in Mineral Wells, the report said. The alleged plan was to contact a person in Mexico and drop the rifles off at specific locations. The weapons would be picked up and taken across the border, according to court documents.
Franco-Hernandez allegedly said during an interview with authorities that someone in Mexico gave them the money for the purchases.
Bags of money were left for the couple in Presidio for her to pick up, the report said. In other instances, Sevilla-Alvarez would allegedly leave his vehicle unlocked and someone would leave cash inside.
Sevilla-Alvarez allegedly told authorities he dropped a rifle off in the city at least once, the paper reported. They are charged with making false statements to a firearms dealer and purchasing firearms for another individual. [Source: Fox News]
According to reports, Perla is a naturalized U.S. citizen and her husband is a legal, permanent resident. Does this suggest their loyalties were to folks across the border?
Why would a couple — Latino American or otherwise — simply buy guns for a total stranger? Are they not aware of the trouble going on in Mexico?
Border towns across Mexico are in the grips of drug cartels. These criminals wage war with local authorities. Innocent civilians and police are gunned down violently — almost on a daily basis. Yet these two Texans happily acquired guns for criminals that wreak havoc South of the border.
It was incredibly reckless and irresponsible.
Even if they were hard-up for cash, why would they risk so much? They left their car unlocked for a stranger to sneak inside and take the guns. They risked their own lives and freedom — lying on background checks — so criminals (most likely) could arm themselves.
They willingly handed over weapons to people they didn’t even know. Those guns might go on to kill cops, civilians, families, or even children. Was it really worth it? Now this couple faces serious penalties for their actions. I’m guessing they’re rethinking their life decisions right about now.
