Another way to conceal a handgun

[ErnieNWillis]

Obese Houston inmate found with gun after 5 searches
By DALE LEZON Copyright 2009 Houston Chronicle
Aug. 6, 2009, 12:17PM


Harris County Sheriff's Department
George Vera, 25, is charged with possession of a firearm in a correctional facility.

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Print Share Del.icio.usDiggTwitterYahoo! BuzzFacebookStumbleUponAn obese Harris County jail inmate turned over a pistol that had been hidden in the folds of his skin after he went through at least five searches upon his arrest and was booked into two different local lockups, authorities said.

George Vera, 25, is charged with possession of a firearm in a correctional facility. He also is charged with possessing or selling unlabeled compact disc recordings, the original reason for his arrest.

Authorities said he was caught with 439 compact disc recordings which did not have labels noting manufacturers or distributors.

Vera is free on a total of $10,000 bail. The Chronicle was unable to reach him at his home.

The Houston Police Department, which operates the city jail, and the Harris County Sheriff's Office, which operates the county jail, are investigating.

The case comes on the heels of the county jail passing a state inspection last week after the facility corrected problems found during a previous inspection in April.

"It's certainly troubling and that's why we're conducting an investigation to see what happened," said Christina Garza, a spokeswoman for the sheriff's office.

A spokesman for the Houston Police Department, Kese Smith, said that procedures call for a suspect to be searched upon arrest, twice at the city jail and once more upon his transfer. He said there's no special provision regarding obese people, but officers are trained to thoroughly search suspects.

Vera, who is 5-foot-10 and weighs more 500 pounds, was arrested by Houston police and booked into the city jail Sunday on suspicion of bootlegging compact disc recordings, said Donna Hawkins, spokeswoman for the Harris County District Attorney's Office.

By Monday, Vera was transferred to the county jail, where he was searched at least once. While he was in the shower that day, he told a guard that he had weapon on him.

Garza said officers found a 9-millimeter handgun beneath folds of his skin. The gun was not loaded and it was unclear whether bullets were found.

The incident comes after the troubled jail at 1200 Baker passed a surprise inspection last week by the Texas Commission on Jail Standards. The review found that all deficiencies cited during the April inspection had been corrected.

In April, the lockup failed inspection because of malfunctioning intercoms, broken toilets and crowding in holding cells, where inmates are placed before they are formally booked.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[llred]

Man that is pretty gross. I wonder what else they found?

Also I feel pretty bad for the guy. At 5' 10" and 500lbs in the Houston heat. I bet he walks around with a window A/C on his back.

[dukalmighty]

The only person that could CC in a nudist colony

[gimpy]

The only person that could CC in a nudist colony

[Riana]

The only person that could CC in a nudist colony

And still maintain a modicum of muzzle discipline.

[GWRedDragon]

He also is charged with possessing or selling unlabeled compact disc recordings, the original reason for his arrest.

Authorities said he was caught with 439 compact disc recordings which did not have labels noting manufacturers or distributors.

I have a few used CD-Rs lying around. Does that make me guilty of a crime too, even if I have not pirated any music nor plan to?

Of course, if I lived in Texas I would also be a criminal for possession of unlicensed laboratory glassware...my dad should never have gotten me a chemistry set when I was little

[PointnClick]

There was another story a while back where a guy was smuggling crack into a jail with this technique...


I think I'll pass on smoking that, thanks....

[ErnieNWillis]

I have a few used CD-Rs lying around. Does that make me guilty of a crime too, even if I have not pirated any music nor plan to?

Of course, if I lived in Texas I would also be a criminal for possession of unlicensed laboratory glassware...my dad should never have gotten me a chemistry set when I was little

Is that a knock against Texas?

[GWRedDragon]

Is that a knock against Texas?

I guess. I mean, I like Texas, but your laws restricting possession of completely innocuous objects seem to be out of control.

[ErnieNWillis]

I guess. I mean, I like Texas, but your laws restricting possession of completely innocuous objects seem to be out of control.

The fat boy had hundreds of pirated cd's he was trying to sale.

[GWRedDragon]

The fat boy had hundreds of pirated cd's he was trying to sale.

Then why not charge him with pirating CDs instead of 'possession of unlabeled CD recordings', a crime which everyone under 25 is probably guilty of?

I can think of another instance where an object is outlawed because it may be used in a crime...

[aimhigh]

lol!!!

[ErnieNWillis]

Then why not charge him with pirating CDs instead of 'possession of unlabeled CD recordings', a crime which everyone under 25 is probably guilty of?

I can think of another instance where an object is outlawed because it may be used in a crime...

Well the story was posted from the Houston Chronicle. A very liberal rag of a newspaper with journalists who have the writing abilities of 5th graders. They probably got the charges wrong.

[Bunny]

Ewwwww!

I guess it's better than the *ahem* uh, "traditional" smuggling method though?

[MP45Man]

Wow! That would be a good advertisement for you Glock fans out there: Glock hidden in folds of skin on sweaty fat man for weeks and still managed to perform flawlessly. Now that is Glock perfection.