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PA: Suspect: Bought gun despite warrant
Josey1
Member Posts: 9,598 ✭✭
KABA NOTE: Like we've always said, the NICS was just a feel-good law to postpone anti-gunners' from saying what they are saying now. NICS never prevented any criminal from buying a gun.
Suspect: Bought gun despite warrant Purchased handgun hours before killings here, despite arrest warrant Thursday, January 17 By Brett LovelaceIntelligencer Journal Staff A man accused of shooting two people to death outside a Lancaster city nightclub on Dec. 23 was able to buy a handgun hours before the slayings, despite being wanted for a 1999 killing in New York City.New York police signed an arrest warrant for Isaac "C. Murder" Vega, 22, on Jan. 12, 2001, accusing him of killing one man and wounding two others during a 1999 shooting in Brooklyn, N.Y.New York City Detective Donald Kerr charged Vega with murder in the second degree, criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree and two counts of assault in the second degree.Vega, however, was able to buy a semiautomatic handgun from a New Providence gun shop the day before he allegedly killed two men outside Miguel's Nightclub, 902 S. Duke St.The arrest warrant was apparently never entered into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database. NCIC is used by gun dealers to check on the backgrounds of customers who want to buy guns, according to Trooper Jack Lewis, state police press secretary. If a background check indicates a customer is wanted for a felony, he or she is not allowed to buy a gun.Lewis also said Wednesday that an arrest warrant prepared by Lancaster city police Detective Thomas A. Kiss charging Vega on Jan. 8 with two counts of homicide was never entered into NCIC."I ran Vega through a background check in NCIC, and nothing came up," Lewis said. "It's the responsibility of the issuing police department to enter warrants, and obviously that was never done for Vega."Vega went to Mallin's Rod & Gun Supplies, 801 Lancaster Pike, on Dec. 22 and paid about $229 for a 9 mm Standard Arms semiautomatic pistol, according to a police affidavit.Mallin's salesman Jim Pennington had Vega fill out an application to buy the handgun and telephoned the Pennsylvania State Police Instant Check Unit (PICS), which approved the sale. PICS checks an applicant's criminal history through NCIC, Lewis said.Vega produced a valid Pennsylvania's driver's license with an address of 212 Linda Terrace, Ephrata. Pennington copied the license, and the background check was approved in minutes.If the New York warrant had been entered into NCIC, Vega likely would have been arrested Dec. 22 after trying to purchase the semiautomatic handgun, Lewis said."Police arrested 128 fugitives last year because they tried to buy guns and a warrant showed up on NCIC," Lewis said. "If a wanted person is in a gun shop, state police notifies the local department where the store is located and an officer typically goes out and arrests them."A New York Police Department spokesman declined comment Wednesday, saying it would take at least a day to research why the warrant was never entered into NCIC.Lancaster City police Chief William Heim also declined comment Wednesday.Lancaster County District Attorney Donald R. Totaro said he was unaware Wednesday why the police warrants issued for Vega had not been logged into NCIC."I can't explain it," Totaro said. "That's a question for other agencies to answer."State law requires a gun dealer to contact PICS for authorization to sell a firearm. The PICS program was implemented in 1998 and provides instant access to background records on an individual.The gun dealer calls a toll-free telephone number and, if an individual is authorized for the sale, the usual five-day waiting period for buying a gun is waived. About 60 percent of applicants are approved within five minutes.The New York complaint against Vega accuses him of shooting Alex German, Salvatore Collado and Pedro Aybar on July 10, 1999, in Brooklyn, N.Y. German died from his wounds.The NYPD arrested Vega about 2 p.m. Friday in Brooklyn for the slaying. He was also charged at that time with the Dec. 23 slayings in Lancaster.Vega is being held without bail at the Brooklyn House of Detention.The district attorney's office in Kings County, N.Y., is prosecuting Vega for the 1999 slaying.Assistant District Attorney Deanna Rodriguez is presenting evidence against Vega to a Brooklyn grand jury and an indictment is expected later this month, said Sabrina Beldner, a Kings County spokeswoman.If the grand jury issues an indictment against Vega, he will likely remain in New York until the outcome of a trial. It could take at least a year to resolve the case in New York, Beldner said.After sentencing in New York, Vega would then be extradited to Lancaster to face homicide charges here."We are going to make every effort to bring him back to Lancaster as soon as possible," Totaro said. "It's an issue we still need to discuss further with the New York authorities."Vega allegedly shot and killed Fransisco Maysonet, 41, and Gilberto "Tuco" Rodriguez, 25, about 1:45 a.m. Dec. 23 during a melee outside the city nightclub.When police arrived at the nightclub, Maysonet, a bouncer, was lying on his back near the front entrance door. He had a gunshot wound to his abdomen.Police found Rodriguez lying in the parking lot with a gunshot wound to his head.A 9 mm slug was later recovered from Maysonet during an autopsy.Detectives charged Vega after his identification was verified through the handgun sale and two eyewitnesses identified his picture.After the 1999 shooting, Vega apparently fled Brooklyn and came to Lancaster County.Less than a month later, East Lampeter Township police stopped Vega for driving a Ford Taurus on Route 30 without a license plate, according to newspaper records.That police stop and investigation on Aug. 1 1/2 resulted in Vega being charged with receiving stolen property, possession with intent to deliver cocaine and heroin, and possession of marijuana. He was committed to Lancaster County Prison on $50,000 bail, but was later released, according to newspaper records.Vega had another brush with police in August 2001.That night, Ephrata Township police charged Vega with retail theft after he refused to pay for $4 in gasoline at a East Main Street gas station, according to newspaper records. http://www.lancasteronline.com/intell_news/vegaj17.shtm
Suspect: Bought gun despite warrant Purchased handgun hours before killings here, despite arrest warrant Thursday, January 17 By Brett LovelaceIntelligencer Journal Staff A man accused of shooting two people to death outside a Lancaster city nightclub on Dec. 23 was able to buy a handgun hours before the slayings, despite being wanted for a 1999 killing in New York City.New York police signed an arrest warrant for Isaac "C. Murder" Vega, 22, on Jan. 12, 2001, accusing him of killing one man and wounding two others during a 1999 shooting in Brooklyn, N.Y.New York City Detective Donald Kerr charged Vega with murder in the second degree, criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree and two counts of assault in the second degree.Vega, however, was able to buy a semiautomatic handgun from a New Providence gun shop the day before he allegedly killed two men outside Miguel's Nightclub, 902 S. Duke St.The arrest warrant was apparently never entered into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database. NCIC is used by gun dealers to check on the backgrounds of customers who want to buy guns, according to Trooper Jack Lewis, state police press secretary. If a background check indicates a customer is wanted for a felony, he or she is not allowed to buy a gun.Lewis also said Wednesday that an arrest warrant prepared by Lancaster city police Detective Thomas A. Kiss charging Vega on Jan. 8 with two counts of homicide was never entered into NCIC."I ran Vega through a background check in NCIC, and nothing came up," Lewis said. "It's the responsibility of the issuing police department to enter warrants, and obviously that was never done for Vega."Vega went to Mallin's Rod & Gun Supplies, 801 Lancaster Pike, on Dec. 22 and paid about $229 for a 9 mm Standard Arms semiautomatic pistol, according to a police affidavit.Mallin's salesman Jim Pennington had Vega fill out an application to buy the handgun and telephoned the Pennsylvania State Police Instant Check Unit (PICS), which approved the sale. PICS checks an applicant's criminal history through NCIC, Lewis said.Vega produced a valid Pennsylvania's driver's license with an address of 212 Linda Terrace, Ephrata. Pennington copied the license, and the background check was approved in minutes.If the New York warrant had been entered into NCIC, Vega likely would have been arrested Dec. 22 after trying to purchase the semiautomatic handgun, Lewis said."Police arrested 128 fugitives last year because they tried to buy guns and a warrant showed up on NCIC," Lewis said. "If a wanted person is in a gun shop, state police notifies the local department where the store is located and an officer typically goes out and arrests them."A New York Police Department spokesman declined comment Wednesday, saying it would take at least a day to research why the warrant was never entered into NCIC.Lancaster City police Chief William Heim also declined comment Wednesday.Lancaster County District Attorney Donald R. Totaro said he was unaware Wednesday why the police warrants issued for Vega had not been logged into NCIC."I can't explain it," Totaro said. "That's a question for other agencies to answer."State law requires a gun dealer to contact PICS for authorization to sell a firearm. The PICS program was implemented in 1998 and provides instant access to background records on an individual.The gun dealer calls a toll-free telephone number and, if an individual is authorized for the sale, the usual five-day waiting period for buying a gun is waived. About 60 percent of applicants are approved within five minutes.The New York complaint against Vega accuses him of shooting Alex German, Salvatore Collado and Pedro Aybar on July 10, 1999, in Brooklyn, N.Y. German died from his wounds.The NYPD arrested Vega about 2 p.m. Friday in Brooklyn for the slaying. He was also charged at that time with the Dec. 23 slayings in Lancaster.Vega is being held without bail at the Brooklyn House of Detention.The district attorney's office in Kings County, N.Y., is prosecuting Vega for the 1999 slaying.Assistant District Attorney Deanna Rodriguez is presenting evidence against Vega to a Brooklyn grand jury and an indictment is expected later this month, said Sabrina Beldner, a Kings County spokeswoman.If the grand jury issues an indictment against Vega, he will likely remain in New York until the outcome of a trial. It could take at least a year to resolve the case in New York, Beldner said.After sentencing in New York, Vega would then be extradited to Lancaster to face homicide charges here."We are going to make every effort to bring him back to Lancaster as soon as possible," Totaro said. "It's an issue we still need to discuss further with the New York authorities."Vega allegedly shot and killed Fransisco Maysonet, 41, and Gilberto "Tuco" Rodriguez, 25, about 1:45 a.m. Dec. 23 during a melee outside the city nightclub.When police arrived at the nightclub, Maysonet, a bouncer, was lying on his back near the front entrance door. He had a gunshot wound to his abdomen.Police found Rodriguez lying in the parking lot with a gunshot wound to his head.A 9 mm slug was later recovered from Maysonet during an autopsy.Detectives charged Vega after his identification was verified through the handgun sale and two eyewitnesses identified his picture.After the 1999 shooting, Vega apparently fled Brooklyn and came to Lancaster County.Less than a month later, East Lampeter Township police stopped Vega for driving a Ford Taurus on Route 30 without a license plate, according to newspaper records.That police stop and investigation on Aug. 1 1/2 resulted in Vega being charged with receiving stolen property, possession with intent to deliver cocaine and heroin, and possession of marijuana. He was committed to Lancaster County Prison on $50,000 bail, but was later released, according to newspaper records.Vega had another brush with police in August 2001.That night, Ephrata Township police charged Vega with retail theft after he refused to pay for $4 in gasoline at a East Main Street gas station, according to newspaper records. http://www.lancasteronline.com/intell_news/vegaj17.shtm