Kansas City Chiefs’ Frank Clark could face harsher gun laws in California

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Frank Clark has a court date scheduled. It’s set one day after Kansas City takes on the Washington Football Team.

The news follows Clark’s arrest Sunday in Los Angeles. The LAPD said he had an Uzi concealed in his Lamborghini.

On Monday, Clark’s attorney told FOX4 the gun belonged to a bodyguard. That issue should be cleared up quickly because authorities can track the gun’s most recent owner through the serial number.

Other questions remain about what kind of Uzi it was and how it ended up in Clark’s vehicle.

At Blue Steel Guns & Ammo Inc. in Raytown, owner Stephen Brackeen fielded some of FOX4’s questions about Uzis. He said they don’t have one in the store currently.

“We had one recently, but we sold it,” Brackeen said.

So how often are these guns purchased?

“Well, I wouldn’t say it’s rare. It’s just that they’re collected. People bought ’em up. You don’t see ’em that often. In 11 years, I’ve probably had only 10 or 12 of them come through here,” Brackeen said.

There are still no details on the weapon the LAPD said they took from Clark, but the weapon was allegedly sticking out from a duffle bag during a stop for an unspecified traffic violation.

“He’s got a lot more problems if he’s got an extended mag in California, and he’s got a full-auto weapon — his problems will go deep. They didn’t say any of that. They just said he had an Uzi,” Brackeen said.

There are certainly a lot of unanswered questions at this point, and what could be a major gun charge in California might not be considered as serious in Missouri.

“He got pulled over on a standard traffic deal. I know it’s illegal to have than gun concealed in his vehicle, and he did. So it would be a misdemeanor law here [in Missouri]. And it wouldn’t even be a problem here,” Brackeen said. “So the media’s going to blow it all out of proportion as they do everything and try to make it sound like the guy’s a great big criminal, when in fact he’s probably not.”

A spokesperson for the Kansas City Chiefs said the team is aware of the situation. Beyond that, they had no comment.

The recent arrest also brought to light that Clark had been arrested three months ago in a similar situation for a felony gun charge. According to a police report, Clark was in a vehicle pulled over for not having a front license plate.

California authorities report they found another open bag with two loaded, but more common, weapons.

“I’m not saying the guy’s guilty at all. I don’t know the circumstances. I hope he gets out of trouble and goes and plays football and stays away from guns and do what he knows best,” Brackeen said.

Clark’s court date is scheduled for Oct. 18 in California — a Monday following a game where the Chiefs are playing all the way on the East Coast.

How do California and Missouri’s gun laws differ here?

If Clark is eventually prosecuted and convicted, he could end up serving prison time. That’s because California’s gun laws are more severe than gun laws in Missouri.

In California, anyone convicted of carrying a concealed firearm faces up to a year in prison. Additional penalties may be added depending on the circumstances surrounding the arrest, like the way the weapon is being transported.

According to California gun laws, when an assault weapon, like an Uzi, is transported, it must be unloaded and stored in a locked container. The container must completely surround the gun and be locked by a padlock, key lock, combination lock, or similar locking device. It can be locked in the trunk of a car, but not in the utility or glove compartment.

During both arrests, officers claim the guns were in bags in Clark’s cars.

It’s also illegal to carry a gun outside of your home or business without a license, according to California Penal Code sections 25850 PC and 26350.

We do not know if Clark has a conceal carry license.

If it ends up that the gun is not licensed to a member of his security team and prosecutors eventually charge Clark with illegal possession of a firearm, it’s a felony in California. The crime is punishable by anywhere from one to 20 years in prison.

In Missouri, Clark would likely face a Class A misdemeanor charge for illegal possession of a firearm. The crime carries a maximum jail sentence of a year and a fine up to $1,000.

In much of Missouri, gun owners do not need a concealed carry permit to carry a weapon as long as you are 19 years old and can legally possess a firearm. Open carry is also allowed in Missouri in many areas.

Kansas City, Missouri, has it’s own gun laws, some of which carry stronger penalties than in other parts of the state. For example, anyone with a concealed gun, who doesn’t have a license for it, faces up to six months in prison and a fine up to $1,000.

Missouri laws and California laws are similar when it comes to transporting a weapon; however, Missouri does not require a gun to be locked up during transport.