Ghost guns were on sale at Fresno Fairgrounds. Why opponents say it should be illegal

Ghost gun kits, which can be quickly turned into working, untraceable firearms, were for sale Saturday and Sunday at the Fresno Fairgrounds, bringing a national debate about the limits of the Second Amendment to the central San Joaquin Valley.

The sale of ghost gun kits is under fire both from the State of California and the Biden administration, and a California State Senator who seeks to ban gun shows at all fairgrounds in the state said Monday that the issue amplifies his calls for such legislation.

However, Guy Bryan, owner of California Gun Shows LLC, who promoted the Fresno gun show, and some of his vendors who were selling them, indicated that the issue was overblown and said ghost gun kits are largely sold at flea markets and on the Internet.

It is legal to sell gun parts, said Bryan, and that is all the kits are. He added he supports law enforcement and invites police to attend shows to make sure laws are enforced.

Ghost guns must be registered, but many aren’t

With a drill press and a few hand tools, it is a fairly simple process to convert the parts in a ghost gun kit into a firearm, and it is legal to do so in the state. However, the California Department of Justice requires that anyone must take the additional step of putting serial numbers on the weapon and registering it with the department.

Opponents of sales of the kits point out that many who buy them never take that step, and that their sale makes dangerous weapons available to persons prohibited from owning firearms due to a conviction for a felony, a violent misdemeanor, or to anyone served with a restraining order.

Most ghost gun kits are sold with parts that when assembled make a Glock-style handgun or an AR-15-style rifle, two of the most frequent weapons found in shootings in the U.S. In the Central San Joaquin Valley, police from various agencies have seized numerous ghost guns, including one seized recently from an 18-year-old who was taking a selfie with it at the Fashion Fair Mall.

Responding to an inquiry about possible sales at the weekend gun show, Lauri King, Deputy Manage II of the Fresno Fairgrounds, said in a statement:

“A licensed gun show operator like California Gun Show, LLC fits within the policy of The Big Fresno Fair as an interim rental. (It) has been holding shows at the Fresno Fairgrounds for the past two years. They ... comply with all regulations...There is legislation at the State that will change how licensed gun operators sell gun parts and accessories which will go into effect in July (and) the Fresno Fairgrounds and the gun show operator will of course comply.”

Some California gun shows held on fairgrounds have already banned ghost gun kits, including Ventura County, that did so in October.

In an interview with Fresno Bee, State Sen. Dave Min, D-Costa Mesa, said the sale of the kits was a driving force behind his push to ban gun shows completely from fairgrounds in the state, through Senate Bill 915.

“I went to the Orange County Fair, and saw the most popular vendors were ghost gun vendors,” said Min. “People were lined up. It seemed crazy to me.

“You have a kit, screws, and you put it together to have a working gun with no background check.”

Bryan, the gun show operator, said he also invites agents from the state Department of Justice to weed out people they spot at gun shows who are known to be prohibited. He also tells his vendors not to sell more than two kits to any person, so as to prevent buyers from reselling quantities of unregistered guns.

“I have a simple philosophy like the (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms) and the DOJ: Criminals shouldn’t be allowed to buy guns,” he said. “I’ve been to other shows where people were actually putting guns together. Are you crazy?

“But banning gun shows (at fairgrounds) doesn’t make sense to me. We will get a parking lot and put up a tent,” said Bryan.

Bryan said he found it troubling that any quantity of the kits could be bought on the Internet, which he feels drives the use of guns used in crimes.

This story was originally published February 8, 2022 at 2:00 PM.