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Stricter controls to be enforced at gun shows

Chris Caya/WBFO News

Some of New York State's largest gun show operators have agreed to new guidelines to restrict illegal sales.

At his Buffalo office today, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman told reporters the operators' new process is designed to ensure that dealers perform proper background checks.

Schneiderman says Niagara Frontier Collectors of Chautauqua County and N.E.A.C.A. of Saratoga County are adopting procedures that go beyond the state's gun show law, including making sure that background checks are performed.

The attorney general says guns are tagged when brought to shows by the vendors. Once sold, the operators will now have security workers check to ensure an additional tag or stamp has been added showing a background check was conducted.

"It's a very simple system. It doesn't interfere with anyone legitimately seeking to purchase a firearm," said Schneiderman.

The AG says background checks conducted at gun stores work well, but he says the system doesn't work as well at gun shows. 

"We have to do this because it is no secret that one of the preferred sources of guns for gangs, for criminals, and even for terrorists, are gun shows," Schneiderman said.

The announcement comes a year after Schneiderman charged 10 sellers with failing to run the checks before making sales at gun shows around the state.  Nine pleaded guilty to misdemeanors. A jury in Hamburg convicted the other.