NEW ORLEANS – Two firearms dealers who disobeyed an order to report semi-automatic firearms sales lost an appeal at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
Robby Betts, doing business as Golden States Tactical, and 10 Ring Precision INC appealed a demand issued by the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in its effort to combat illegal trafficking of firearms from the United States to Mexico.
The ATF dictated that each federal firearms licensee classified as a dealer or pawnbroker in selected states must report within a period of five business days, when two or more semi-automatic rifles are sold to an unlicensed person.
The appellants argued that the ATF lacked authority to issue the demand letter and that it was arbitrary and capricious. The court disagreed with this argument.
Judge Carolyn Dineen King, Patrick Errol Higginbotham and Edith Brown Clement over saw this case and affirmed the district courts decision.
Case no. 12-50742.