Houston Chronicle by Allie Morris Sep. 27, 2019
Definition of ‘fugitive’ changed
Under federal law, people who have been convicted of felonies and domestic violence can’t buy firearms. Neither can fugitives from justice.
For years, the FBI, which runs background checks for the state, considered a fugitive to be anyone with an arrest warrant. But in 2017, that changed. Now, only people with arrest warrants who have fled the state to avoid prosecution — or those who have been indicted — are ineligible to buy guns.
An FBI spokeswoman said the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act of 1993 “does not authorize the denial of firearm transfers under the ‘fugitive from justice’ prohibition based solely upon the existence of an outstanding arrest warrant.†In order to meet the prohibition, officials using the National Instant Criminal Background Check System must determine whether the prospective buyer is subject to a current criminal prosecution or testimonial obligation and has fled the state to avoid it.
More:
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/local/politics/article/Wanted-for-a-felony-assault-charge-he-could-14471631.php
