How A Houston Couple Scored A Dozen Full-Auto M16s…

in Current Events, S.H. Blannelberry, This Week

A Houston couple scored at least a dozen full auto M16s last week after purchasing surplus gun cases online from a vendor that works directly with the Department of Defense.  

Worried that they may be in violation of federal law that prohibits possession of unregistered machine guns, the couple immediately contacted authorities to report their find.  

“We just purchased these cases. We never expected anything in there,” the husband, who did not want to be identified told ABC 13. “Supposedly, the sender should check every single box to make sure there’s nothing dangerous or anything.”

“It’s just a case, everybody can buy it online,” the wife added.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) immediately obtained a warrant and raided the storage facility where the couple had stored the cases.  All of the firearms were seized.

The wife and husband fully cooperated with the probe.

SEE ALSO: Philly Mayor Slapped With Lawsuit After Banning Guns in Recreation Areas

Greg Fremin, a former Houston police captain and retried Marine, commented on the situation.  

“It’s incredible. It’s surreal,” he told ABC13. “It’s unbelievable to think military-grade weapons would be shipped in containers across state lines. It’s pretty shocking.”

“One of the strictest things we have in the military is weapons accountability. So these weapons are missing somewhere from a U.S. armory, and somebody doesn’t know it. That’s the scary thing about that for the U.S. military right now,” he continued.  

It seems unlikely that the couple will face any charges.

“We are good citizens,” the wife said.

As for who will ultimately be held accountable for the oversight, the FBI is currently investigating.

The online vendor who sold the cases was quick to pull down the existing inventory of similar products and is now conducting an internal audit.

A representative of the company told ABC13 that while it’s contracted to sell surplus military equipment, that doesn’t include firearms.

It appears the armorers at the DoD have some explaining to do.

Stay tuned for updates.

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About the author: S.H. Blannelberry is the News Editor of GunsAmerica.

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  • Larry G Turner October 7, 2022, 11:31 am

    Funny how the accountability became pretty unimportant when we pulled out of Afghanistan! I’ve heard various estimates of the value of military hardware left behind ranging from $7B to $80B but considering the cost of a NImitz Class AirCraft Carrier is between $7B and $9B, it was a lot of hardware regardless which estimate is right.

  • Englbert Humperdink October 1, 2022, 8:58 pm

    The FEDs have had a change of heart.
    They are now supplying auto rifles to the populous to make up for years of abuse. Yeah, that’s the ticket!
    They finally realized that communism is a bad “look” for America and are willing to mend their evil ways.
    Well, at least, that was the dream I was having this morning until I “woke” to the walking woke nightmare.

  • Xdemonrat October 1, 2022, 12:07 pm

    Everything WOKE turns to S–T. See where the government is taking the military.

  • MrSir91 October 1, 2022, 9:25 am

    Lord I’ve seen what you’ve done for others, and I want that for me. Rofl.

  • Slim October 1, 2022, 8:33 am

    This has always happened. How many stories have you not heard of that could of been total made up fiction, just go with the news(that also could be fiction but also maybe true)where a truck load of to be melted down guns got jacked in LA(I personally remember at least two as a child growing up in San Diego and showed locals grabbing and running off)for example. That’s the ones that make the news. Now just food for thought. You know the HK416 that is used to this day by our top tier soldiers as the tall now fish food loser was supposedly used to drop him is ONLY sold to from HK to MILITARY OR LAW ENFORCEMENT! So how I’d it that even an upper makes it to civilian hands? Yet you can right now buy the real deal in every way minus the trigger that can be purchased by simply buying the gieslle or who ever they spell it trigger our own military asked them to make to upgrade the trigger. So tell me how in THIS DAY HIGH END PISTON DRIVEN TOP TIER FULL AUTO TRULY capable uppers that are ONLY sold by HK as I myself have emailed to verify that and was quickly told that HK told me directly they ONLY sell the HK416’s to law enforcement or military WITH FULL paperwork saying so from the higher ups are ALL OVER THE INTERNET?! TEN FULL AUTO M16’s, who’s still making M16’s?! They’ve been M4’s for many years so doubt they’re truly M16’s. Probably just standard semi auto cheap $500 AR’s.

  • Blue Balls September 30, 2022, 9:53 pm

    Meanwhile, Eric Holder still roams free…

  • Chris D September 30, 2022, 9:22 pm

    And the sales of those cases just went up 10,000%, from people trying to score some M-16’s!

  • punisher6 September 30, 2022, 7:06 pm

    Catching a glimpse of the rifles in the video shows M16A2, so they are probably ancient. When was the last time the US military fielded M16A2s rather than M4s? (I’m not military, so I don’t know directly).
    These were probably rifles shipped back from some mission back in the 90s (Desert Shield/Storm?).
    The article also indicates that they bought 100 of the ’empty’ cases, so there were probably many more. I can just envision some unit of tired guardsmen returning from the sandbox and unpacking their equipment, obviously missing the rifles in ONE case. I can easily imagine this mistake occurring.

  • Shane Johnson September 30, 2022, 6:58 pm

    Not surprising as the youth of this nation is “Slow Quitting” and doing the minimal amount required to stay employed

  • SRB September 30, 2022, 4:40 pm

    I have heard plenty of stories about military equipment that was shipped and never reported missing.
    Just remember that The Pentagon was allegedly investigating a missing $1.6 trillion when that portion of the building where the audit was set up was destroyed on 911. Feds say it was done by hijackers with a plane. Video footage shows a missile/rocket being fired from a club K on an adjacent construction site. Just remember The Feds always have to blame someone. The owner of the club K has not been identified. Maybe it was that jomoke Ray.

  • Jim September 30, 2022, 3:18 pm

    Inventory? Don’t have time for that! Gotta pass my CRT exams!

  • Dale B. September 30, 2022, 2:47 pm

    Damn try to give someone something and they don’t appreciate it !! LMAO !!!

  • rob September 30, 2022, 1:26 pm

    Probably would just keep my mouth shut.

    • John L September 30, 2022, 9:14 pm

      It would be tempting. Right up until I remember how corrupt the FBI, ATF and DOJ are. Then I’d be thinking it’s gotta be a setup.

  • Stan d. Upnow September 30, 2022, 12:57 pm

    White House issues statement: “Didn’t we warn you about these Trump MAGA Republican extremists? What more proof do you need?”

    Newsflash: New bill tomorrow in Congress to ban all 210 types of “assault weapons.” (and magazines over 3 rounds)

  • Richard September 30, 2022, 12:53 pm

    Another case of knee jerk reaction and shooting the messenger by the federal government.
    Back in 1986 I was stationed in D.C. on a joint duty assignment. I found a single classified document. Being the dedicated professional career serviceman I reported it. The response was an investigation conducted by a civil service civilian. When he couldn’t/wouldn’t contact my predecessor. This was a single sheet of paper among hundreds of thousands sheets of paper in a locked wall-locker. Suddendly, I am called in and grilled like I had just robbed and murdered folks. My response was, “I did my duty by reporting the found document and securing it properly. Otherwise this interagation is finished without a JAG officer present.” I never heard another word.
    Like the Patriot Act and other excessive over regulating and controlling the citizens that pay their salaries. States were sovereign until April 9, 1865 when the federal government put its proverbial boot on the neck of liberty. President Biden has made it clear that he has F-15s and nukes.
    Let’s Go Brandon!

  • Todd September 30, 2022, 12:34 pm

    While I wasn’t in the 82nd, when I was at 5th Group on Bragg I had a girlfriend in the 82’s 313th MI. Back then, someone lost merely ONE 1911 and shut the world down over it.

    These days, lose some M-16s and it’s what…. just a mistake?

  • Stan d. Upnow September 30, 2022, 12:33 pm

    “The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) immediately obtained a warrant and raided the storage facility where the couple had stored the cases. All of the firearms were seized.”

    Get that? They voluntary called to report the incident and fully cooperated, yet, the Gestapo pulls a warrant to forcefully raid their storage facility and seize the guns. I totally expect the corrupt FBI to raid & ransack their home with 30 armed agents rampaging through their house terrifying everyone with weapons pointed at their faces. Barking dog? Shoot it! Teenager protesting the raid? Beaten-down, handcuffed, and hauled to prison for “obstruction.”

    One commenter said they were stupid to report it, given the treatment they were shown. Yeah, they’re now on some govt. “domestic terrorist” watchlist, for sure. If it was BLM/Antifa, or some other Commie group, they would Never have reported it, and if discovered, nothing would be done.

    • iceman October 1, 2022, 11:26 pm

      Don’t believe everything you read.

    • paul I'll call you what I want/1st Amendment October 2, 2022, 12:32 pm

      You hit the nail on the head there! “it seems unlikely the couple will face any charges” wtf????? Why would they face charges for doing the right thing……

  • Wes September 30, 2022, 11:12 am

    What will shock me is if the FBI and/or ATF doesn’t try to charge this couple. With the amount of corruption in those two federal agencies alone.

  • Fal Phil September 30, 2022, 10:24 am

    “Greg Fremin, a former Houston police captain and retried Marine, commented on the situation.

    ‘It’s incredible. It’s surreal,’ he told ABC13. ‘It’s unbelievable to think military-grade weapons would be shipped in containers across state lines. It’s pretty shocking.’ ”

    I don’t know Fremin’s level of cognitive abilities, but I don’t know why an intelligent person would be shocked. Military grade materiel is shipped across state lines all the time. He should be shocked at the haphazardness at the DoD inventory procedures. As to the fact that they are firearms, heck, Eric Holder proved that you can easily get firearms across international borders, let alone state borders.

  • Oldfart September 30, 2022, 10:12 am

    I love how the “ATF immediately obtained a warrant and raided the storage facility”. The couple report it to the police, now you need a SWAT team with rifles drawn to raid 2 innocent people who self reported! Makes total sense.

    • Comanche September 30, 2022, 12:24 pm

      The ATF need to be restructured, or maybe eliminated! This dog not gunna hunt!!!🐕‍🦺🐾🐾🐾

  • Tristan Darkthunder September 30, 2022, 10:00 am

    Guns?????
    What Guns?????
    All I have are these cases I Bought!

    Would have been my reaction if asked/interrogated.
    Crap like this(telling on yourself) is what get most people in trouble

  • Altoids September 30, 2022, 9:36 am

    Lucky they’re not sitting in Leavenworth right now.
    Honestly like that will get you arrested in today’s America.

    • Fal Phil September 30, 2022, 10:12 am

      Yeah, but is their dog still alive?

  • Jack Walker September 30, 2022, 9:27 am

    false flag…UPS to not ship weapons or parts and right on cue, this?

  • KevinC September 30, 2022, 9:11 am

    It makes me wonder who else may have received a similar consolidation prize shipment with their gun cases. This potentially rogue individual definitely have alot of explaining to do regarding the resource supply chain.

  • krinkov545 September 30, 2022, 9:06 am

    Pull the uppers, pull the lower parts kit stock/buffer/receiver extension out the lowers and convert them to semiauto or cut them for scrap, chop the lowers for scrap aluminum, sell parts kits. Big profits. What military rifles?

    • Rick September 30, 2022, 3:58 pm

      Exactly what i was thinking. –I wonder how many the Taliban were gifted by hair sniffer?

  • Phil September 30, 2022, 8:50 am

    I’d like to see followup on this one. Probably written off as a loss by some property book clerk and signed off by the Commander. Meanwhile the Sarge lost the cases containing the M-16s after turning them into DRMO.

  • graceythecat September 30, 2022, 8:43 am

    more of the woke go broke commie democrat program with democrats destroying the military installing their woke agenda making our military last again.
    Let’s Go Brandon!

  • Dr Motown September 30, 2022, 7:34 am

    BATF “raided” the storage facility? LOL! The couple was right there to let them in and show them around🤩

    • Danielle September 30, 2022, 8:00 am

      That was my exact thought when I read that!!

    • Dude September 30, 2022, 8:53 am

      They raided the storage facility THAT SOLD THEM THE CASE, not the couple’s home.

      • Paul September 30, 2022, 10:40 am

        No, the article clearly stated the ATF “raided” the couple’s warehouse where they stored the cases.

      • Michael September 30, 2022, 10:42 am

        Read it again. The article clearly states that they raided the facility that the couple used for storing their cases. Nobody claims their home was raided. Either this is one of the worst written articles I’ve read in a long time ot BATF actually got a warrant just to establish a paper trail in case they decide to prosecute the couple for just having possession of the guns.

      • KC Jailer (sire/your majesty) September 30, 2022, 10:45 am

        Read it again.

        “The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) immediately obtained a warrant and raided the storage facility where the couple had stored the cases. All of the firearms were seized.”

      • Joberg September 30, 2022, 10:58 am

        The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) immediately obtained a warrant and raided the storage facility where the couple had stored the cases.  All of the firearms were seized.

        You don’t read very well do ya?

        • Big Al 45 October 1, 2022, 12:18 pm

          To the point, that isn’t about ‘reading’, it’s about comprehension of what was read.
          Some people read well, and comprehend little.
          Like a lot of highly educated Democrats reading the 2nd Amendment. 🙂

  • Recce1 September 30, 2022, 6:05 am

    Why shouldn’t the couple face DRACONIAN consequences? After all, they’re good citizens (meaning law abiding) who innocently bought shipping cases, notified the police when they discovered what was in them, and cooperated with the feds.

    I’ll even wager the ATF went in with an unnecessary search warrant so as to be able to charge the couple and a SWAT team to recover the rifles reported to them. The blame MUST fall on the couple, not the DoD.

    (sarcasm folks)

    • krinkov545 September 30, 2022, 9:10 am

      If only the Feds would go hopped up psycho on Drag Queen Story Hour or field tripping grade school children to qweer bars like they do with citizens who illegally play with NFA goodie’s.

      • KC Jailer (sire/your majesty) September 30, 2022, 10:52 am

        If only they went hopped up psycho on criminals instead of people who provide them with evidence of crimes…

    • John September 30, 2022, 10:02 am

      I wonder how many agents showed up and were they in full battle gear? Did they point their rifles at the couple? It’s a sad observation that today’s FBI and ATF will probably slap them in jail as supporters of the 2nd Amendment and suspend Habeas Corpus to keep them indefinitely like they are doing to any republican citizens who happened to be in Washington in January of last year.

  • Elapid King September 30, 2022, 5:27 am

    These weren’t missed from military inventories simply because the armorers assumed that they were just more weapons given to the Taliban by the Pedo-Joe administration.

    • Steven Stainbrook September 30, 2022, 9:09 am

      This was made a mountain of a mole hill by the local left media! Definitely a mistake was made by the military. The question is, how much trouble is that couple in for doing the correct thing? Is the Communist Demorat government going to try to make an example of them? This will be interesting to see how this turns out.

  • Richard September 30, 2022, 4:57 am

    I wish I was that lucky!!!!!

  • Blue Dog (he/him) 🧢 September 29, 2022, 3:19 pm

    I am glad to hear that the buyers reported and cooperated with authorities.

    Makes me wonder who else might have benefited from some quartermaster’s oversight.

  • Ronnie Maeker September 28, 2022, 5:31 pm

    Lucy works there…

    “Hey, Lucy…you got some splainin to do…” (Ricky Ricardo)

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