George Vera (source: Harris County Sheriff's Office)
Gary Blankinship, president of the Houston Police Officers Union, said Vera's weight made it easier for him to hide the gun from officers.
"We teach officers to lift up and look under," Blankinship said. "The officer may not have arrested anyone this big before.
"Basically short of strip-searching or searching cavities, they could miss something like this."
The Houston Police Department and Harris County Sheriff's Office said they have begun internal investigations into the incident.
