D.C. man quietly transfers legal handguns

You can’t find him unless you’re looking for him. The man with a monopoly on transferring legal handguns to D.C. residents likes to keep a low profile.

Charles W. Sykes Jr.’s business, CS Exchange Limited, does not advertise in the Yellow Pages. It does not have a Web site. It resides in an office on Good Hope Road in Southeast and has no identifying signs on its outside walls.

The only way to get the company’s phone number is to call the Metropolitan Police Department and ask for contact information for the Federal Firearms License (FFL) dealers in the District. The police department then hands over the number for the only one willing to deal with residents — Mr. Sykes.

Though this is not the traditional way to do business, Mr. Sykes is not at a loss for customers. Being the only game in town, he is well known among gun owners, and he can make his own rules. He meets with clients by appointment only.

“People contact me and I set up particular times for them to come to the office because I want people to feel comfortable coming and going. And then people aren’t overly aware of the fact a person is coming out with a gun,” Mr. Sykes said.

CS Exchange Limited has been in business since 1994 but only started providing its transfer services to residents in September 2008, several months after the Supreme Court forced the District to overturn its 32-year ban on handguns. Before that, Mr. Sykes dealt strictly with D.C. security companies and law enforcement agencies that needed a way to transfer firearms.

He came into business when he heard of the high demand for the service, and decided to see if he qualified for the position. He was soon licensed and has been transferring guns ever since.

“I think I do an exceptional job. I haven’t had any complaints. The federal government hasn’t had a problem with me. The District government hasn’t had a problem with me. And as far as I know, residents and District businesses haven’t had a problem with me. Maybe because I’m the only person in town. But I haven’t heard any complaints,” Mr. Sykes said.

Lynda Salvatore, 38, of Northwest received her Glock 21 by way of Mr. Sykes. She said he was professional, knowledgeable and thorough.

“He kind of held my hand through the process,” Miss Salvatore said. “He was polite. He never even made comments about my weapon — even though a Glock 21 is a pretty large weapon for a woman.”

Mr. Sykes said he’s sort of a “guardian angel” of D.C. gun owners and is more than willing to discuss every aspect of the process with any customer who calls.

“I know the law in the District just as good as the District does,” Mr. Sykes said.

Though Mr. Sykes is the man to see if you’re a D.C. resident looking to purchase a handgun, he will never sell you one. Mr. Sykes is a middle man who charges a fee to be the pickup location of a firearm purchased from a different area.

Being strictly a transfer service, he has moved about 200 handguns into the District for residents since September 2008, at $125 a gun. The most popular models, he said, are Glock, Smith & Wesson, and Sig Sauer. Because of the demand for his services — and the fact he has another full-time job that he prefers to keep private — he sees no financial need to move into selling, though he is legally entitled to do so with his license.

“I don’t want to get into the expenditures of selling guns. With the shape that the economy is in, I think people have other things to do with their money than go out and buy a gun. You’re looking at what is more valuable to you: putting food on the table, gas in the car, or going out and buying a gun,” Mr. Sykes said.

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