Twice in as many months, the Kyle Police Department has apprehended Joseph Denoia, a 44-year-old San Antonio resident, on charges ranging from narcotics possession to the unlawful handling of homemade firearms. Upon responding to a welfare check back on February 22, officers discovered Denoia asleep inside his vehicle, parked on the 5000 block of Kyle Parkway, with a visible amount of what appeared to be methamphetamine, according to CBS Austin.
After waking up found asleep in his car, Denoia was taken into custody, where a search uncovered firearm components, including numerous magazines, homemade bullets, suppressors, and an unserialized short-barrel rifle. Described as a "ghost gun," this untraceable firearm is a glaring example of law enforcement's ongoing battle with illegal weapons circulation. Denoia faced initial charges for five counts of possession of a dangerous drug and possession of a controlled substance, as FOX 7 Austin reports.
The continuing inquiry led to a follow-up arrest on April 5 when police executed a search warrant, subsequently discovering two additional unserialized guns in Denoia's possession. Kyle police have slapped Denoia with multiple felony charges, including two counts of possession of a prohibited weapon and three counts of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. Furthermore, he faces one count of unlawful carrying of a weapon by a felon.
Aside from the weaponry, officers also encountered prescription medications for which Denoia reportedly had no valid prescription. Conducted under a search warrant stemming from the findings of the February incident, the April arrest didn't just fall within the purview of existing charges, but it also potentially set the stage for more charges to be added as the investigation progresses. The case, as it continues to unfurl, magnifies the shadowy issue of homemade firearms and the fallout from their undetectable nature on community safety.
