Despite Pandemic, United States Attorney’s Office For The Western District Of New York Increased Gun Prosecutions In District By Over 50% In FY20
BUFFALO, NY--The Department of Justice announced it has charged more than 14,200 defendants with firearms-related crimes during Fiscal Year (FY) 2020, despite the challenges of COVID 19 and its impact on the criminal justice process. These cases have been a Department priority since November 2019 when Attorney General William P. Barr announced his commitment to investigating, prosecuting, and combatting gun crimes as a critical part of the Department’s anti-violent crime strategy. These firearms-related charges are the result of the critical law enforcement partnership between United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, led by Acting Director Regina Lombardo, who has made firearms-related investigations a priority.
“The number one priority of government is to keep its citizens safe," said Attorney General Barr. “By preventing firearms from falling into the hands of individuals who are prohibited from having them, we can stop violent crime before it happens. Violating federal firearms laws is a serious crime and offenders face serious consequences. The Department of Justice is committed to investigating and prosecuting individuals, who illegally buy, sell, use, or possess firearms. Reducing gun violence requires a coordinated effort, and we could not have charged more than 14,000 individuals with firearms-related crimes without the hard work of the dedicated law enforcement professionals at the ATF, our U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country, and especially all of our state and local law enforcement partners."
“In this District, we increased in the number of defendants charged with federal gun crimes during FY 2020 by over 50%," stated James P. Kennedy, Jr., United States Attorney for the Western District of New York. “It has been more than a decade since that many defendants have been charged with federal gun crimes here in Western New York."
Kennedy went on to explain, “the historic number of gun prosecutions being brought here this year is attributable to the historic number of shootings we have seen. The sad reality is that many residents in our District live in poor, violence-riddled neighborhoods in which the fear of gun violence is omnipresent. The leading cause of death for young black males in this country is homicide, and most often, those homicides involve illegal guns. Those of us working in law enforcement recognize that each of those lives lost-and the lives of all those living in these violent neighborhoods-matter. For that reason, we remain undeterred in our mission to hold accountable all those in our community who fail to meet societal expectations for behavior-as expressed in our Nation’s laws. But as we undertake that task with vigor, please remember, we are not focusing our policing efforts on the gun crimes because we are out to get anyone-rather, we are doing it because we are out to protect everyone."
“Protecting the public from violent crime involving firearms is at the core of ATF’s mission," commented ATF Acting Director Regina Lombardo. “Every day the men and women of ATF pursue and investigate those who use firearms to commit violent crimes in our communities, many of whom are prohibited from possessing firearms from previous convictions. ATF, in collaboration with the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the nation, is committed to bringing these offenders to justice for their egregious and violent criminal acts."
Under federal law, it is illegal to possess a firearm if you fall into one of nine prohibited categories including being a felon, illegal alien, or unlawful user of a controlled substance. Further, it is unlawful to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense or violent crime. It is also illegal to purchase - or even to attempt to illegally purchase - firearms if the buyer is a prohibited person or illegally purchasing a firearm on behalf of others. Lying on ATF Form 4473, which is used to lawfully purchase a firearm, is also a federal offense. The Department is committed to prosecuting these firearms offenses as well as using all modern technologies available to law enforcement such as the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, known as NIBIN, to promote gun crime intelligence. Keeping illegal firearms out of the hands of violent criminals will continue to be a priority of the Department of Justice and we will use all appropriate, available means to keep the law abiding people of this country safe from gun crime.
For more information on the lawful purchasing of firearms, please see: https://www.atf.gov/qa-category/atf-form-4473. #
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
