CCRKBA.org

BELLEVUE, WA – -(Ammoland.com)- A spike in crime over the past few weeks while New York City policemen and women have been diverted to deal with the on-going Occupy Wall Street protest prove that Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s anti-gun policies are working against law-abiding citizens who cannot protect themselves from crimes of opportunity, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms said today.

The New York Post reported over the weekend that the number of people shot went up 154 percent for a one week period, which is more than double the number of people shot during the same week last year, and overall jumped 28 percent during the past month.

“While the city is sending its cops down to Wall Street to handle the protests, the neighborhoods are being left vulnerable, and that’s because New York City continues to restrict the rights of law-abiding citizens to arm themselves,” said CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb.

“It is bad enough when citizens must jump through a lot of hoops and pay exorbitant fees to obtain a gun permit in the Big Apple during normal times, but when police manpower is heavily diverted, those citizens are victimized by the system as much as they are by the criminals.

“Crooks certainly realize when the cops aren’t around,” he continued. “The New York Post story essentially sent a signal that criminals have a much safer working environment with police spending their time downtown instead of out on their normal beats.”

The newspaper said there have been several more shootings this month than during the same month last year.

“This is nuts,” Gottlieb observed. “When honest citizens in the neighborhoods are essentially abandoned by police who are called to deal with an extraordinary situation in Manhattan, it begs the question, how long are they supposed to live with the city’s Draconian gun control laws? New York has a cumbersome system that Mayor Bloomberg is all-too-happy to perpetuate.

“It’s time for New York City to reform its gun policies,” Gottlieb said, “and in the meantime, return its cops to the neighborhoods where they can do the most to fight crime. But streamlining the gun permit process should be Priority One.”

With more than 650,000 members and supporters nationwide, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms is one of the nation’s premier gun rights organizations. As a non-profit organization, the Citizens Committee is dedicated to preserving firearms freedoms through active lobbying of elected officials and facilitating grass-roots organization of gun rights activists in local communities throughout the United States. The Citizens Committee can be reached by phone at (425) 454-4911, on the Internet at www.ccrkba.org or by email to InformationRequest@ccrkba.org.

Gunlaws.com

PHOENIX, AZ --(Ammoland.com)- The lamestream media told you: The 413 killings by police nationwide that were ruled justifiable in 2009 were the most since 1994, FBI statistics show.

And the 262 killings by private individuals ruled self-defense were the most since 1997. National numbers for 2010 are not yet available. With some variations, the numbers for both categories have been trending upward since about 2000.

Interestingly, the national rise in justifiable homicides has occurred as violent crime levels have dropped. The estimated U.S. violent crime level total in 2009 was 5.2 percent below the 2005 level and 7.5 percent below the 2000 level, according to the FBI.

A similar trend can be seen in Virginia, where 117 people have died in justifiable killings by police and 95 by private individuals between 1990 and 2010, according to an analysis of state and federal crime statistics by the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Guns were used in 94 percent of the deaths. By Mark Bowes, from the Richmond Times-Dispatch. http://tinyurl.com/3t3894u

The Uninvited Ombudsman notes however that: I’ve got nothing to add.

About GunLaws.com:
Scottsdale, Ariz.-based Bloomfield Press, founded in 1988, is the largest publisher and distributor of gun-law books in the country. Our website, gunlaws.com, features a free national directory to gun laws and relevant contacts in all states and federally, along with our unique line of related books and DVDs. “After Your Shoot” for media review is available on request, call 800-707-4020. Our authors are available for interview, call to schedule. Call for cogent positions on gun issues, informed analysis on proposed laws, talk radio that lights up the switchboard, fact sheets and position papers. As we always say, “It doesn’t make sense to own a gun and not know the rules.” Visit: www.gunlaws.com

CCRKBA.org

BELLEVUE, WA – -(Ammoland.com)- Preliminary crime data from the FBI for 2010 adds more evidence that gun prohibitionists have been consistently wrong, and that more guns do not equal more crime, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms said today.

According to the FBI, all four violent crime offense categories show declines nationwide for 2010, with murder and manslaughter down 4.4 percent from 2009, robbery down 9.5 percent and aggravated assault down 3.6 percent. Forcible rape was down 4.2 percent. Violent crime declined in all four regions of the country. At the same time, according to the National Shooting Sports Foundation, firearm sales were up dramatically.

“Gun banners can spin data anyway they want,” observed CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb, “but in the final analysis, their contention that more guns in the hands of law abiding citizens translates to more crime is clearly nonsense. More than 6.2 million citizens are licensed to carry, Wisconsin appears ready to join states with rational carry laws, and the NSSF reports that the largest surge in gun sales happened during the years 2008 to 2010.

“Instead of more guns resulting in more crime,” he added, “increased gun ownership just might be having the opposite effect. Of course, you’d never get the gun prohibition lobby to admit that.”

According to the FBI report, released Monday, violent crime declined in all city categories, with the greatest drop at 6.9 percent in cities with populations of 250,000 to 499,999, although these cities reported a 3 percent increase in murder and manslaughter. Violent crime in rural counties decreased 6.4 percent and in metropolitan counties, the decline was 6 percent, the FBI report said. Murder and manslaughter dropped 25.2 percent in small cities (below 10,000 populations). Robbery is also down across the board, the FBI report said.

“The bottom line,” Gottlieb stated, “is that none of the extremist predictions about blood in the streets and skyrocketing body counts as a result of increased gun ownership, reformed gun laws and expanded concealed carry have come true. Once again, the Chicken Little mentality of the anti-gun lobby has been refuted by the facts.

With more than 650,000 members and supporters nationwide, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms is one of the nation’s premier gun rights organizations. As a non-profit organization, the Citizens Committee is dedicated to preserving firearms freedoms through active lobbying of elected officials and facilitating grass-roots organization of gun rights activists in local communities throughout the United States. The Citizens Committee can be reached by phone at (425) 454-4911, on the Internet at www.ccrkba.org or by email to InformationRequest@ccrkba.org.

U.S. Department of Justice

Greenbelt, Maryland –-(Ammoland.com)- A federal jury convicted Chinua Shepperson, a/k/a “Nu,” “NuNu” and “King Nu,” age 28, of Washington, D.C. late yesterday of conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise known as the Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (Latin Kings), murder in aid of racketeering, robbery, using a gun during a crime of violence and murder resulting from use of a gun during a crime of violence.

The conviction was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Assistant Attorney General Lanny A Breuer, of the Department of Justice Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Theresa R. Stoop of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – Baltimore Field Division; Chief J. Thomas Manger of the Montgomery County Police Department; Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy; Interim Chief Mark Magaw of the Prince George’s County Police Department; and Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Angela Also brooks.

U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein said, “Chinua Shepperson robbed and murdered a Hyattsville man, and participated in an armed robbery in order to further his position in the Latin Kings. The strategy of combining the resources and intelligence of local, state and federal law enforcement agencies to pursue federal racketeering charges against criminal gangs is proving effective in removing violent offenders from the streets and making our neighborhoods more safe.”

“The Latin Kings is a brutal gang that uses violence to achieve its ends,” said Assistant Attorney General Breuer. “With Mr. Shepperson’s conviction, all 19 defendants charged in this investigation have been held to account. Our deliberate approach to prosecuting the Latin Kings and other gangs is taking violent offenders off our streets, and working to make our communities safer.”

“The ATF RAGE Task Force built a strong case against the Latin Kings through tireless police work documenting the criminal acts of the defendants and the RICO enterprise,” says ATF Special Agent in Charge Theresa Stoop. “The jury heard the facts of the investigation, including the violence perpetrated by Shepperson and the Latin Kings. The success of this investigation shows the effectiveness of the criminal justice system, and how hard ATF works to combat gang violence.”

The Latin Kings is a violent street gang with thousands of members across the country and overseas. The Latin Kings have a detailed and uniform organizational structure, which is outlined – along with various “prayers,” codes of behavior and rituals – in a written “manifesto” widely distributed to members throughout the country. Members of the Latin Kings are also traditionally given “King Names” or “Queen Names,” which are names other than their legal names, by which they are known to members of the gang and to others on the street. At the local level, groups of Latin Kings are organized into “tribes,” including, the Royal Lion Tribe, MOG, Sun Tribe and UTL.

Latin Kings members to engage in gang activities from a date unknown until November 2009. In furtherance of the conspiracy, Shepperson and other gang members participated in the armed robbery of a prostitute at a motel in Laurel, Maryland on December 14, 2007. Shepperson also conspired with other gang members to rob and murder John Realpe Montoya. On April 25, 2008 Shepperson robbed John Realpe Montoya of cocaine and fatally shot him behind the Marylander Condominiums in Langely Park, Maryland.

All 18 co-defendants previously pleaded guilty to the racketeering conspiracy. Shepperson faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. U.S. District Judge Alexander Williams scheduled sentencing for June 17, 2011 at 9:30 a.m.

Mr. Rosenstein and Mr. Breuer thanked the ATF–led RAGE Task Force, including the Gaithersburg Police Department; the Montgomery County Police Department; Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office; Prince George’s County Police Department; Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office; the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, the Maryland National Capital Park Police – Prince George’s County Division; and the Maryland State Police; as well as, the New York Police Department; the U.S. Secret Service, and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, for their assistance in this investigation and prosecution.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended Assistant United States Attoneys Emily Glatfelter and David Salem, and Lara M. Peirce, a Trial Attorney with the Criminal Division’s Gang Unit, who are prosecuting the case.

Gun Owners of America

Washington, DC --(Ammoland.com)- First of all, our prayers go out to the families and victims of the horrific tragedy that took place in Tucson over the weekend.

We pray that God will bring comfort to them in this time of trial.

The political left is trying to pin this tragedy on gun owners and conservative talk radio. Never mind the fact that this creep hated the Bible and the U.S. flag, loved the Communist Manifesto and Mein Kampf and, according to his friends, was a drug abusing lefty.

But why let the facts get in the way?

Already, we see the pattern we witnessed in Columbine, with liberal politicians flocking like vultures to pick political advantage from a tragedy. Some have blamed people who, like us, are outraged at the unconstitutional, anti-gun contents of ObamaCare.

And New York Congressman Carolyn McCarthy has already announced her intention to suck political benefit from the shootings by introducing anti-gun measures. These apparently include a magazine ban and a gun show ban, notwithstanding the fact that Jared Loughner bought his firearm from a retailer and underwent a Brady Check. (The Instant Check is an unconstitutional requirement in itself, which has failed to stop “gun violence,” but that’s an issue for another day.)

The calls for banning or restricting gun shows have also spread to the state level. Over the weekend, Virginia State Sen. Janet Howell called for closing the so-called “gun show loophole” and then put GOA in her crosshairs.

“I think it is imperative that my constituents understand that the Virginia General Assembly is yielding on every gun issue to a fringe group called the Gun Owners of America. They make the NRA look reasonable,” she said.

Thanks, Senator Howell, we’ll take that as a compliment.

A week ago we would have predicted that congressional Democrats would be loath to try to ban firearms in the wake of the 2010 elections. But we can no longer assume that an assault on the Second Amendment is not forthcoming.

Following the Columbine shooting, we utilized long-standing Senate rules to slow down and eventually defeat such an anti-gun assault. But liberal Democrats in the Senate are currently pushing proposals to change the Senate rules to make it easier to ban guns.

Their proposals include:

• A measure to reduce the time for debate on nominations like Supreme Court nominees Sonya Sotomayor or Elena Kagan to two hours;
• A measure to block a Senator’s ability to place a “hold” on anti-gun measures (a parliamentary procedure which allows Senators to slow down legislation); and,
• Several measures to restrict or entirely eliminate the filibuster. But as we saw during the fight over the anti-gun ObamaCare bill, the filibuster can be our greatest weapon. We only lost by one vote in the Senate — and that’s a vote that Harry Reid no longer has.

If the filibuster survives these rules changes, then it may be because of a “compromise” which will guarantee Reid three vote-buying amendments at the end of a filibuster. NOTE: The compromise would actually be worse, and it would lock out pro-gun senators like Jim DeMint from the ability to offer any countering amendments.

ACTION: Contact your two Senators. Insist that they oppose proposals to change the Senate rules that would open the floodgates on anti-gun legislation. You can use the Gun Owners Legislative Action Center to send your Senators the pre-written message below.

—– Pre-written letter —–

Dear Senator:

Efforts by anti-gun Rep. Carolyn McCarthy to pluck political advantage from the Arizona tragedy highlight the importance of the Senate rules.

Currently, liberal senators concerned that Harry Reid has not crammed enough unconstitutional legislation down the throats of the American people are pushing rules change proposals that include:

* A measure to reduce the time for debate on nominations like Supreme Court nominees Sonya Sotomayor or Elena Kagan to two hours;

* A measure to block a Senator’s ability to place a “hold” on anti-gun measures; and,

* Several measures to restrict or entirely eliminate the filibuster.

If the filibuster survives these rules changes, then it may be because of a “compromise” which will guarantee Harry Reid three vote-buying amendments at the end of a filibuster. The compromise would actually be worse, and it would lock out pro-gun senators like Jim DeMint from the ability to offer any countering amendments.

Furthermore, all of this is being done via a procedure which, if carried to its logical conclusion, could allow a simple majority of the Senate to change the written rules at any time.

Please oppose all these rules change proposals.

I am informed that the rules votes will be rated as “gun” votes by Gun Owners of America.

Sincerely,

—– Pre-written letter —–

About:
Gun Owners of America (GOA) is a non-profit lobbying organization formed in 1975 to preserve and defend the Second Amendment rights of gun owners. GOA sees firearms ownership as a freedom issue. `The only no comprise gun lobby in Washington’ – Ron Paul

Urban Shooter Podcast

Upper Marlboro, MD --(Ammoland.com)- I am deeply saddened by the loss of life from the tragic shooting in Tucson, Arizona.

Our country is already going through a trying time as it deals with the economy and a loss of faith in our politicians. Unfortunately, the talking heads are already playing the blame game.

Arizona has been celebrating recent improvements in its policy toward self defense and personal protection. It has become a model of freedom.

Nature Abhors A Vacuum So Send In The Clowns.
As great as America is, we still have crazy people. We still have criminals. The tragic shooting will resurrect attempts of failed gun prohibitionist to use this time of sorrow for their own gain. Enemies of freedom that are both foreign and domestic will weigh in.

They will try to use this event as a fundraiser in the name of little Christina-Taylor Green, the little nine year old political hopeful that was slain. They will attack high capacity magazines because magazines can’t retort. Of course, they must do something right?

The truth is you cannot legislate crazy.
As someone that has made terrorism, criminal behavior and analysis my life, I know you can follow group dynamics. You can monitor the operation and practices of groups and institutions. You can predict human behavior with some percentage of certainty because humanity hasn’t changed.

But crazy people are always a wild card. You can’t predict what sets them off this time or will cause them to act violently.

If you have to do something in response, please join me in prayer for the survivors and our Nation. **Volk

Celebrities and politicians will have to be extremely careful in the future. With the access to social information that all of us willingly provide, it is easier to trace and track us than ever before. We are all creatures of habit. You become a target of opportunity for any mentally ill person that sees you as a representation of the demon that is inside him. A new law won’t save one life.

Gun, magazine, ammunition, and edged weapons restrictions only affect and disarm the law abiding.

There has been no shortage of mental illness related attacks on the innocent. Kenneth James Ward, blamed the Mormon church for his troubles and opened fire on a layperson in a church in 2010. Then there was the matriarch of a Cambodian immigrant family in Seattle with a history of mental problems, that killed three members of her own family back in September 2010. And who can forget Seung-Hui Cho, the mentally ill student from Virginia Tech in 2007? How about Robert Pickett, who tried to assassinate President George W. Bush in 2001? John Hinkley, Jr. is still trying to get out from his attempt on President Ronald Reagan in 1981. As a personnel protection specialist, I know, “you can’t legislate crazy.”

We will hear many accounts in the next few days about people that knew that the 22-year-old Jared Loughner was “off.” We already have laws that make it illegal for the mentally ill from buying, owning or possessing a firearm. Only the law abiding follow the law. Criminals and sociopathic people will find a way to do what they want when given the opportunity. What you have to do is keep your eyes open and focus on the people not the tools.

One of the most derogatory words folks use on both sides of the argument is “gun nuts.” It is not positive. It’s as bad as the “N” word to me. After we grieve, I hope America returns to focus on what our problems are and not try to appease our emotions with worthless name-calling rhetoric or give an ear to those that will use this horrific event for their own agenda.

It is my hope that what happened in Arizona, doesn’t repeat itself for a long, long time. I will continue to pray for the Congresswoman and survivors of the melee. If you have to do something in response, please join me in prayer for the survivors and our Nation.

Rev. Kenn Blanchard

Kenn Blanchard of Black Man with a Gun

About:
Kenn Blanchard is a contributer to AmmoLand Shooting Sports News and Producer of the Urban Shooter pod cast. In addition Kenn Blanchard is a pro-gun media producer & marketing profesional that helps small businesses by providing information, entertainment , inspiration and support to the sport shooting community through blogs, voice -over, podcasting and professional speaking. Visit: www.kennblanchard.com

**Image: by Olegvolk.net

More Guns Equal Less Crime Across the USA:Full Report: FBI Preliminary Semiannual Uniform Crime Report, January-June, 2010

Tom Gresham's Truth Squad

MANDEVILLE, LA --(Ammoland.com)- The FBI released its crime stats for the first half of 2010.

We have more guns, more concealed carry folks, and we are almost six years past the expiration of the stupid Clinton “assault weapon” ban.

The last two years have seen record increases in gun sales. So, with all these guns, how bad has crime gotten?

It will come as no surprise to those with more than a room-temperature IQ that crime continues to go down. According to the FBI, violent crime is down 6.2 percent over the same period in 2009, and homicide is down 7.1 percent. Further, robberies are down 10.7 percent, rapes down 6.2 percent, aggravated assaults down 3.9 percent, and burglaries dropped 1.4 percent.

Crime stats are subject to “tweaking” by police departments (who have been knows to downgrade crimes as a way of improving their performance numbers), but these are impressive numbers.

Just a touch more food for thought . . . homicides rose in the Northeast (can you say “harder to get a carry permit?”), but took a dramatic 12-percent dive in the South with expanded access to guns, like constitutional carry in Arizona.

It’s not possible to directly attribute these drops in crime to the increase in guns — there are just too many variables at work. But, we can say with absolute certainty that more ARs, more pistols, (we’ve seen two years of record gun sales), and more people carrying guns for their own protection (Alaska and Arizona removed the requirement for a permit!) has NOT resulted in an increase in violent crime or homicide.

About:
Tom Gresham’s Gun Talk Radio is in its 15th year of national syndication, Gun Talk Radio airs live on Sundays from 2PM-5PM Eastern, and runs on 101 stations, plus SIRIUS XM Satellite Radio. All Gun Talk shows can be downloaded as podcasts through Apple iTunes, the Gun Talk iPhone App, the Blackberry Podcast App, or at www.guntalk.libsyn.com. More information is available at www.guntalk.com.

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

LOS ANGELES, CA--(Ammoland.com)- Federal and local authorities this morning arrested five defendants who were named by a federal grand jury in a 19—count indictment that alleges illegal firearms sales and drug trafficking offenses.

Two of the nine defendants named in the indictment were already in state custody, and authorities continue to search for one fugitive. An investigation is continuing into the identity of the ninth defendant named in the indictment.

The indictment, which was returned on September 28, outlines a series of firearms transactions in which guns — including machine guns, sawed—off shotguns and assault rifles — were sold to undercover operatives from April 2009 through June 2010.

During this morning’s operation, ATF agents and LAPDofficers seized 12 firearms, including seven handguns and one machine gun, and at least five pounds of marijuana. With this morning’s seizures, this investigation has resulted in a total of 35 firearms being taken off the streets.

In addition to the defendants arrested in the federal case, authorities this morning arrested five suspects who are expected to be prosecuted by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

“One of ATF’s strategies for preventing violent crime is to disrupt and dismantle underground firearms trafficking pipelines and take down those responsible for supplying violent offenders with crime guns,” said John A. Torres, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Los Angeles Field Division.

“This investigation shows that ATF is at the frontline in combating violent crime through partnerships with fellow law enforcement agencies. ATF will continue to seek out and eradicate those threatening the safety of our communities.”

“As Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department, I have been committed to working closely with our federal partners,” said;LAPD Chief Charlie Beck.

“This morning, in a joint task force with our ATF partners, detectives from LAPD”Gang and Narcotics Division executed a federal warrant which targeted illegal gun trafficking. I am very pleased with the results of today’s operation. I will continue my commitment in our fight to reduce crime in our communities and to keeping these dangerous weapons off the streets.

The nine defendants named in the indictment, five of whom were arrested this morning, are:

• Oswaldo Ramirez, 29, of Lakewood, an illegal alien who allegedly arranged and was present at most of the firearms transactions;
• Victor Huerta, 20, of Paramount, who allegedly participated in several of the gun transactions;
• Ernesto Figueroa Chavez, 21, of La Puente, an illegal alien who allegedly supplied the gun in three transactions prior to being deported to Mexico in October;
• Robert Francis Evangelista, 32, of Montebello, who was allegedly involved in seven firearms transactions;
• Sergio Herrera, 30, of South Gate, who allegedly sold one firearm;
• Ivan Reyes, 34, who is a fugitive currently being sought by authorities for allegedly selling one firearm and being involved in a narcotics transaction;
• Robert Michael Roybal, 23, of El Sereno, who allegedly was involved in two firearms transactions and is currently in state custody;
• Ramon Lopez, 33, of South Los Angeles, who allegedly was involved in one gun transaction and is currently in state custody; and
• a ninth defendant who is charged with participating in one gun transaction and is the subject of an ongoing investigation into his identity

The 19-count indictment specifically alleges conspiracy (statutory maximum penalty of five years in federal prison), engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license (five years maximum), alien in possession of a firearm and/or ammunition (10 years maximum), felon in possession of a firearm and/or ammunition (10 years maximum), sale of a firearm to a prohibited person (10 years maximum), possession of an unregistered firearm (10 years maximum), illegal alien found in the United States following deportation (two years maximum); conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine (20 years maximum), and distribution of methamphetamine (20 years maximum).

An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in court. The investigation that led to the indictment and today’s arrests was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Los Angeles Police Department.

CONTACT: Assistant United States Attorney Max B. Shiner Violent and Organized Crime Section (213) 894-3308

Welsh Pawn Shop

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

ATLANTA, GA --(Ammoland.com)- A reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and convictions of those responsible for a recent firearms armed robbery at Welsh Pawn Shop, a federally licensed gun dealer in Savannah, Ga. was announced today by Gregory K. Gant, Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Savannah/Chatham County Crime Stoppers has pledged a reward of up to $2,500 for the arrest of those responsible for the robbery.

The owners of Welsh Pawn have also announced an additional reward of $5,000 for information leading to the arrest of the perpetrators. This crime has triggered a joint investigation between ATF and the Savannah—Chatham Metro Police Department.

“The people of Savannah deserve a safe community. Unfortunately, there are a few violent individuals whose illegal activities threaten to diminish our quality of life. Gun thieves play a critical and deadly role in the chain of violence. ATF will continue to partner with state and local law enforcement agencies to solve this crime,” Gant said.

The armed robbery occurred around 10 a.m., Friday, at the business located at 2800 Skidaway Rd., Savannah, Ga. The suspects walked into the business, asked workers to view a few items, then started shooting. Two clerks were shot and received non life—threatening injuries. The robbers smashed glass cases and removed several items to include six firearms. The clerks could only identify the robbers as two black males, wearing dark clothing and baseball caps.

Investigators are seeking the public’s help with identifying the subjects involved and providing information on the location of any or all of the stolen firearms. Anyone with information is encouraged to call ATF’s toll-free, 24—hour hotline at 1—888—ATF—TIPS (1—888—283—8477) or Savannah/Chatham County Crime Stoppers at (912) 234—2020. Callers can remain anonymous.

More information about ATF and its programs is available at www.atf.gov.

National Rifle Association

Charlotte, NC --(Ammoland.com)- Well, just when you think you have heard just about everything.

Fox News reports that “A coalition of Mexican mayors has asked the United States to stop deporting illegal immigrants who have been convicted of serious crimes in the U.S. to Mexican border cities, saying the deportations are contributing to Mexican border violence.”

Apparently, the mayor of Juarez — the world’s most murder-plagued city, across the border from low-crime El Paso where Americans are able to buy and carry guns for protection — said “that of the 80,000 people deported to Juarez in the past three years, 28,000 had U.S. criminal records — including 7,000 convicted rapists and 2,000 convicted murderers.”

This, on the heels of a CNN story noting that Mexico’s foreign minister, Patricia Espinosa, has claimed that violence in the United States is not related to illegal Mexican immigrants, but that Mexico’s violence is caused by guns smuggled into Mexico from the United States.

Predisposed to spinning the news in favor of gun control, CNN attempted to bolster Espinosa’s claim by quoting a former Carter Administration staffer to the effect that, as CNN put it, “more than 90 percent of weapons in Mexico come from the United States.”

About:
Established in 1871, the National Rifle Association is America’s oldest civil rights and sportsmen’s group. Four million members strong, NRA continues its mission to uphold Second Amendment rights and to advocate enforcement of existing laws against violent offenders to reduce crime. The Association remains the nation’s leader in firearm education and training for law-abiding gun owners, law enforcement and the military. Visit: www.nra.org

National Rifle Association

Charlotte, NC --(Ammoland.com)- Paul Helmke and Dennis Henigan — spokesmen for the beleaguered Brady Campaign these days — are old enough to know what a phonograph record is, so for their benefit we’ll put it this way:

At the risk of sounding like a “broken record,” gun ownership has risen to an all-time high, and violent crime has fallen to a 35-year low.

Coinciding with a surge in gun purchases that began shortly before the 2008 elections, violent crime decreased six percent between 2008 and 2009, according to the FBI. This included an eight percent decrease in murder and a nine percent decrease in robbery.

Since 1991, when total violent crime peaked, it has decreased 43 percent to a 35-year low. The murder rate, less than half what it was in 1980, is now at a 45-year low.

Throughout, the number of guns that Americans own has risen by about four million a year, including record numbers of the two types of firearms that the Brady folks would most like to see banned — handguns and the various firearms they call “assault weapons.”

Brady Campaign for the Prevention of Gun Violence

Predictions that increasing the number of guns would cause crime to increase have been proven profoundly lacking in clairvoyance. One of our favorite gems comes from the Brady outfit, when it was known as the National Council to Control Handguns: “There are now 40 million handguns. . . . the number could build to 100 million. . . . the consequences can be terrible to imagine,” the group warned in the mid-1970s.

“Terrible consequences” indeed, for gun control supporters. The number of handguns has reached almost 100 million; waiting periods, purchase permits, and prohibitions on carrying firearms for protection have been dismantled in state after state; gun ownership has soared; and violent crime has plummeted.

About:
Established in 1871, the National Rifle Association is America’s oldest civil rights and sportsmen’s group. Four million members strong, NRA continues its mission to uphold Second Amendment rights and to advocate enforcement of existing laws against violent offenders to reduce crime. The Association remains the nation’s leader in firearm education and training for law-abiding gun owners, law enforcement and the military. Visit: www.nra.org

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

PHOENIX, AZ --(Ammoland.com)- Shawn Michael Nealon, 38, of Mesa, Ariz., a federal firearms licensee and owner of Cavalry Arms Corp., was sentenced earlier this month to three years probation, 300 hours of community service, and a $10,000 fine after pleading guilty on Feb. 18 to illegal firearms sales by a federally licensed firearms dealer to an out-of-state resident.

Calvary Arms, of Gilbert, Ariz. and holding a separate federal firearms license (FFL), was also placed on probation and fined $10,000 resulting in a loss of license to sell, manufacture, and a prohibition from possessing firearms.

Nealon sold four firearms to an out-of-state resident, knowing that the individual, at the time of sale, resided in the state of Calif. and not in the state of Ariz. Calvary Arms also sold 36 firearms to that same individual from Calif., which included AK-47 and AR-15 type rifles, shotguns and handguns. This investigation was initiated by ATF’s Los Angeles Field Division and prosecuted in the state of Ariz.

“Today’s sentencing assures that neither Nealon nor his company, Calvary Arms, will be able to legally sell firearms,” said John A. Torres Special Agent in Charge (SAC) of the Los Angeles Field Division of ATF. “This is an example of solid investigative work by ATF agents targeting an individual responsible for illegally trafficking firearms into the state of California.”

Calvary Arms

ATF is the federal agency responsible for licensing persons engaged in manufacturing, importing, and dealing in firearms. It is critical for FFLs to comply with the Gun Control Act and regulations in order to assist law enforcement efforts, prevent the diversion of firearms from lawful commerce to the illegal market, ensure successful tracing of firearms, and to protect the public.

ATF has a responsibility to the public to revoke FFLs in cases of willful violations of the law and regulations, intentional disregard for regulatory requirements, or knowing participation in criminal acts.

• Relevant Questions Answered by SAC John A. Torres
• Reference the Shawn Nealon and Cavalry Arms investigation

What was the significance of this case for ATF?
The importance of this case for ATF was the fact that we were able to identify and then stop a firearms trafficker from selling firearms illegally to out of state residents. Statistically, a very small percentage of licensed firearms dealers go astray of the law. Mr. Nealon was one of that small group and through good police work, we were able to identify his illegal activities and take action. He was trafficking firearms to California and we were able to stop him from selling guns illegally, period. Specifically this case had an impact on diminishing one source of guns to the criminal element. Generally, it is good for the public to know that we are enforcing federal firearms laws currently on the books and that anyone supplying guns illegally to gang members or others will be held accountable.

How does the conviction of Shawn Nealon impact the “big picture” of firearms trafficking?
Anytime we can keep one firearms trafficker from violating federal law and from trafficking in firearms, we will do it. In this case, Mr. Nealon sold different types of firearms to a California resident illegally, thirty-six (36) high caliber firearms to be exact. These specific laws have been on the books for over 40 years and it was apparent he knew he was not complying with federal laws. He sold various firearms (AR-15’s and AK-47’s) to a Californian dozens of times. This needed to stop and we were able to do so.

Did this conviction have an impact on violent crime?
This conviction was a good thing for all law abiding citizens of the United States, as was the sentencing. Nealon is now a felon who can no longer possess or own firearms. He cannot continue in the business of being a Federally Licensed Firearms Dealer nor can he sell firearms at gun shows. The system worked and I applaud the efforts of the ATF agents who investigated Shawn Nealon’s illegal activities and the prosecutors who perfected the court case. They all had a role in keeping the citizens safe!

Anyone with information about firearms trafficking or the illegal possession of firearms is encouraged to call ATF at 1-800-ATF-GUNS (800-283-4867). Callers can remain anonymous.

More information about ATF and its programs is available at www.atf.gov.

Pennsylvania Game Commission

HARRISBURG, PA --(Ammoland.com)- Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe today offered his praise to Governor Edward G. Rendell, House Game and Fisheries Committee Chairman Edward G. Staback (D-Lackawanna) and the General Assembly for enactment of a bill that will protect wildlife by cracking down on poaching.

House Bill 1859, sponsored by Rep. Staback to increase penalties and fines for poaching committed against Pennsylvania wildlife, was signed into law today by Gov. Rendell.

“Increasing penalties for serious violations is one of the operational objectives within the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s Strategic Plan, and we welcome enactment of House Bill 1859,” Roe said.

“This marks the first comprehensive piece of legislation to increase Game and Wildlife Code penalties since 1987, and we believe it will significantly enhance wildlife protection in the Commonwealth.

“There is widespread public support for increasing in fines and penalties as indicated by surveys that showed 96 percent of Pennsylvania’s citizens feel that wildlife protection is a vitally important function.”

Roe said that the causes of poaching vary, but the myth that most poachers are committing their offenses to provide food for their families is, in reality, almost never the case.

“Most often, poaching today is committed by criminals driving $30,000 vehicles, using expensive night-vision technology, illegal silencers and firearms,” Roe said.

“Most commonly, the causes are simply greed, obsessive behavior in collecting antlers; in some cases poachers take great pride in their infamous status in local communities. A disturbing and increasingly common cause is killing simply for thrill with no intention of making use of any part of the animal.”

House Bill 1859 passed the House by a vote of 196 to 3 on July 21, and was unanimously approved by the Senate on July 3. After a concurrence vote of 189 to 6 in the House, on July 3, it was sent to Gov. Edward G. Rendell. The bill will become law in 60 days.

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

Garden City, Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Thomas E. Brandon of the Detroit Field Division, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), today announced a reward of up to $5,000 for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the burglary of Flanary’s Performance Center & Guns, a federally licensed firearms (FFL) dealer, located at 153 Merriman Rd., Garden City, Michigan.

On July 9, 2010, during the early morning hours, someone forcibly broke into and entered the gun dealer’s business and stole 46 firearms.

“This burglary of 46 firearms is a serious threat to the community,” said SAC Brandon. “These firearms, in the hands of criminals, can cause immeasurable harm to innocent victims.”

ATF is the federal law enforcement agency that investigates firearms trafficking, which results in significant federal prison sentences for the person or persons responsible.

The burglary at Flanary’s is being investigated by the ATF Ann Arbor Field Office and the Garden City Police Department. Anyone with information about this crime should contact the following agencies:

• ATF Gun Hotline: (800) ATF GUNS or (800) 283-4867
• ATF Ann Arbor Field Office: (734) 887-0060
• Garden City Police Department: (620) 276-1300

All information will be treated confidentially and the callers will remain anonymous upon request.

ATF is the federal agency with jurisdiction for investigating federal firearms violations and regulating the firearms industry. More information on ATF and its programs can be found at www.atf.gov.

U.S. Department of Justice

GAINESVILLE, GA --(Ammoland.com)- JOE DANIEL TANTURRI, 25, of Cartersville, Georgia; LINDSEY GRAVITT, 22, of Cartersville, Georgia; and LONNY GRAVITT, 42, of Rydal, Georgia, were sentenced today by United States District Judge Richard W. Story on charges related to the theft of 40 firearms stolen from a licensed federal firearms dealer in Jasper, Georgia.

United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates said of the case, “This case goes beyond a simple burglary. When 40 stolen firearms hit the streets, they could potentially be used in many more serious crimes, including assault and murder. Guns from Georgia continue to be found at crime scenes all over the country, and 40 fresh guns in the hands of criminals certainly could mean many more crime scenes. Now these defendants are going to federal prison, where there is no parole.”

“Gun thieves play a deadly role in the chain of violence when firearms fall into the wrong hands. ATF places a major emphasis on solving these crimes,” said Special Agent in Charge Gregory Gant of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

“When these burglaries occur, the public should expect nothing less than an aggressive investigative effort that leads to sending those responsible to prison, and results in the recovery of stolen firearms before they can be criminally misused.”

• TANTURRI was sentenced to 11 years, 3 months in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay over $31,000 in restitution.
• LINDSEY GRAVITT was sentenced to 1 year, 8 months in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay over $31,000 in restitution.
• LONNY GRAVITT was sentenced to 3 years probation.

According to United States Attorney Yates, the charges and other information presented in court: On November 8, 2008, at approximately 3:34 a.m. a monitored alarm system at the “Bargain Barn,” a federal firearms licensee at 3622 Camp Road, Jasper, Georgia, alerted to a break-in.

The surveillance video revealed that TANTURRI, LINDSEY GRAVITT, and an unidentified third individual entered the store wearing masks and immediately rushed to several gun counters, smashed the glass cases and took approximately 40 firearms.

The investigation continues into the identity of the third individual involved in the burglary.

LINDSEY GRAVITT and JOE TANTURRI pleaded guilty to the theft of 40 firearms from the Bargain Barn, and the receipt, possession, concealment, storage, and disposal of the stolen firearms.

LONNY GRAVITT, LINDSEY GRAVITT’s father, allowed his son to store and hide some of the weapons at LONNY’s home in Rydal, Georgia. As part of the investigation, agents questioned LONNY GRAVITT, who initially said there were no weapons on his property. With the assistance of LINDSEY GRAVITT, agents went back to the father’s property, where LONNY GRAVITT admitted some of the weapons were being hidden. Fourteen of the stolen weapons have been recovered. In addition, when LONNY GRAVITT’s home was searched, agents found an illegal sawed-off shotgun not stolen during the burglary. LONNY GRAVITT pleaded guilty on February 1, 2010, to possession of that sawed-off shotgun.

ATF continues to seek the public’s assistance in identifying the third accomplice who participated in the burglary and in recovering any of the remaining guns. Anyone with information is encouraged to call ATF’s toll-free, 24-hour hotline at 1-888-ATF-TIPS (1-888-283-8477) and may remain anonymous. This case was investigated by Special Agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

Assistant United States Attorney Angela M. Jordan prosecuted the case.

For further information please contact Sally Q. Yates, United States Attorney, or Charysse L. Alexander, Executive Assistant United States Attorney, through Patrick Crosby, Public Affairs Officer, U.S. Attorney’s Office, at (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the HomePage for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is www.justice.gov/usao/gan.

Latest FBI Crime Data Continues To Refute Anti-Gun Rhetoric

CCRKBA.org

BELLEVUE, WA – -(Ammoland.com)- For the third year in a row, violent crime has declined in the United States while increasing numbers of American citizens own firearms and are licensed to carry, a trend that belies predictions of anti-gunners that more guns will result in more crime, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms said today.

Preliminary data from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report shows that the violent crime rate went down 5.5 percent in 2009, compared to statistics from 2008. This covers all four categories of violent crime: murder, robbery, aggravated assault and forcible rape. Violent crime went down 4 percent in metropolitan counties and 3 percent elsewhere, according to the FBI.

At the same time, the agency’s National Instant Check System reports continued increases in the number of background check requests and the National Shooting Sports Foundation has reported increased federal firearms excise tax allocations to state wildlife agencies, an indication that more guns and ammunition are being purchased.

“This translates to one irrefutable fact,” said CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb. “There are more guns in private hands than ever before, yet crime rates have declined. In plain English, this means that gun prohibitionists have been consistently wrong. Higher rates of gun ownership have not resulted in more bloodshed, as the gun ban lobby has repeatedly forecast with its ‘sky-is-falling’ rhetoric.

“According to the FBI,” he continued, “the murder rate fell last year 7.2 percent in larger cities. Robbery declined more than 8 percent and forcible rape was down 3.1 percent. It might just be that criminals are less likely to attack someone out of fear their intended victim is armed. Robbers might be discouraged by the growing potential that the clerk behind the counter is willing to fight back. Maybe would-be rapists are deterred by the possibility that they might get shot.

“For many years,” Gottlieb observed, “anti-gunners made all kinds of wild predictions that higher rates of gun ownership and the expansion of shall-issue carry permits would leave neighborhoods awash in blood. The data proves otherwise. America should turn its back on the gun prohibition lobby and their insidious policy of victim disarmament.”

With more than 650,000 members and supporters nationwide, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms is one of the nation’s premier gun rights organizations. As a non-profit organization, the Citizens Committee is dedicated to preserving firearms freedoms through active lobbying of elected officials and facilitating grass-roots organization of gun rights activists in local communities throughout the United States. The Citizens Committee can be reached by phone at (425) 454-4911, on the Internet at www.ccrkba.org or by email to InformationRequest@ccrkba.org.

The ATF Atlanta Field Division today announced a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest or conviction of those responsible for a recent firearms theft at Pannell’s Firearms.

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

ATLANTA, GA --(AmmoLand.com)- The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Atlanta Field Division today announced a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of those responsible for a recent firearms theft at Pannell’s Firearms, located at 10102 Main Street in Woodstock, Ga.

The case is being jointly investigated by ATF special agents and Cherokee Sheriff’s Office (CSO) investigators.

The early morning burglary occurred at Pannell’s Firearms and Range, a federal firearms licensee (FFL), on Tuesday, April 27. Store security video shows two subjects approaching the business at 3:15 a.m. Once inside, they are seen smashing glass countertops and placing firearms into bags before fleeing the area. In approximately one minute, the suspects were able to steal a total of 24 firearms.

“Investigating firearms thefts from federally licensed gun dealers is a top priority for ATF,” said Special Agent in Charge Gregory Gant. “We all have a vested interest in arresting those responsible and recovering these stolen guns. Solving this crime will be a team effort among ATF, the Cherokee Sheriff’s Office and concerned members of the public.”

Sheriff Roger Garrison said, “We are pleased that ATF has offered a reward to assist in this investigation. I strongly encourage anyone with any information related to this incident or the suspects involved to come forward.”

Investigators are seeking the public’s help with identifying the suspects and providing information on the location of any of the stolen firearms. Anyone with information is encouraged to call ATF’s toll-free, 24-hour hotline at 1-888-ATF-TIPS (1-888-283-8477) or the Cherokee Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division at 770-928-0239. Callers can remain anonymous.

Second Amendment Foundation

BELLEVUE, WA – -(Ammoland.com)- A report published by MSNBC.com confirms “everything gun rights groups have been saying for years, that more armed citizens does not equate to increased violence, and actually coincides with a reduction in homicides,” the Second Amendment Foundation said today.

The on-line news agency this morning released an investigative report that record numbers of American citizens are now legally carrying firearms for personal protection. Yet, the report also reveals that homicide rates have declined dramatically during a period when gun sales have skyrocketed. Further, the report noted that Washington, DC with its extreme gun control has the highest murder rate in the nation, while Utah, with very liberal gun laws, has the lowest rate.

“This is further evidence that everything the gun prohibitionists have been claiming and predicting over the past two decades has been fundamentally fraudulent,” said SAF Executive Vice President Alan M. Gottlieb. “They have repeatedly argued that more guns will equate to more crime and more firearms deaths, and MSNBC.com just let the air out of their sails with this exhaustive and well-balanced report.”

Gottlieb said the public “has gradually, but steadily come to the realization that the gun ban lobby has built its campaign of citizen disarmament on a mountain of falsehoods, one heaped on top of another.”

“This is why,” he said, “anti-gun groups have lost their momentum and their credibility. They failed to gain traction even with a Democrat-controlled Congress and an anti-gun White House. They are so desperate for attention that they have now declared war on private businesses just to generate publicity. Their high-profile campaign of hysteria against Starbucks for complying with state laws that allow concealed and open carry in their coffee shops is based on an issue they fabricated just to grab headlines and television face time, and the public knows it.

“Every restrictive gun law, every ban, every gun-free-zone they have advocated and defended have one thing in common,” Gottlieb concluded. “They gave us a body count. The MSNBC.com report suggests America has had enough.”

About:
The Second Amendment Foundation (www.saf.org) is the nations oldest and largest tax-exempt education, research, publishing and legal action group focusing on the Constitutional right and heritage to privately own and possess firearms. Founded in 1974, The Foundation has grown to more than 650,000 members and supporters and conducts many programs designed to better inform the public about the consequences of gun control. SAF has previously funded successful firearms-related suits against the cities of Los Angeles; New Haven, CT; and San Francisco on behalf of American gun owners, a lawsuit against the cities suing gun makers and an amicus brief and fund for the Emerson case holding the Second Amendment as an individual right.

BATFE

ROCKFORD, Ill. --(AmmoLand.com)- By word of mouth, news began to spread around Rockford beginning in April 2009 that the managers of a new resale shop in the 1200 block of Broadway were willing to purchase firearms, stolen property and narcotics and, soon, business was brisk.

During the next six months, the managers of “Tony Tones All Thangs Fine” purchased more than 50 firearms, including a dozen sawed-off shotguns, most of them allegedly sold illegally either by individuals who were previously convicted felons or by individuals who believed they were selling firearms to convicted felons.

When the shop closed at the end of October 2009, local, state and federal law enforcement authorities, led by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) agents, removed the hidden video equipment that had allowed them to view and secretly record individuals who had used the back room of “All Thangs Fine” (whose initials spell “ATF”) to make illegal sales of firearms and narcotics during the six-month undercover investigation.

The probe culminated today with the arrests this morning of up to 18 local defendants on state and federal charges, including eight Rockford residents who were indicted on federal charges and 10 others who are facing state charges. The charges were announced today by Patrick J. Fitzgerald, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Joseph Bruscato, Winnebago County State’s Attorney; Andrew L. Traver, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of ATF; Greg Lindmark, Rockford Police Deputy Chief; Richard A. Meyers, Winnebago County Sheriff; Stephen A. Luzinski, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Drug Enforcement Administration; and Jonathon Monken, Director of the Illinois State Police.

“I applaud the hard work and cooperation of the local, state and federal law enforcement agencies that conducted this undercover investigation, which was designed to remove illegal firearms from circulating in Rockford, as well as to prosecute the alleged offenders,” Mr. Fitzgerald said. “We all share the same goal of making Rockford a safer community by making people think twice before they engage in illegal firearms sales. We will continue to investigate and prosecute such cases.”

Winnebago County State’s Attorney Bruscato said: “Federal and state law enforcement agencies are working collectively to hit the crime issue hard. The Winnebago County State’s Attorney’s Office is committed to the continued collaborative efforts that produce these kind of results.”

Mr. Traver, of ATF, said: “The cooperative and dedicated actions of the agencies involved in this lengthy operation have contributed to a safer Rockford. Every illegal firearm removed from the hands of an unlawful possessor represents one or more potential violent crimes that was not and will not be committed.”

Rockford Police Deputy Chief Lindmark said: “This investigation, with the cooperation and assistance of our federal, state and local law enforcement partners, demonstrates the continuing coordination and collaboration to reduce crime in the City of Rockford. Our continued partnerships with various law enforcement agencies will enhance our ability to leverage our resources.”

Winnebago County Sheriff Meyers said: “Cooperation between local, state and federal agencies has again led to the successful conclusion of a long-term undercover case. This represents the best of law enforcement to make this community a safer place to live.”

A federal grand jury in Rockford on Tuesday returned eight separate sealed indictments, each charging a single defendant with firearms and/or narcotics offenses stemming from the undercover investigation. According to one indictment, the undercover resale shop was managed between April and October 2009 by two cooperating individuals, each of whom had previously been convicted of a felony. Before opening the store, ATF agents and other law enforcement authorities had installed hidden and disguised video equipment that allowed officers, who were operating the video surveillance equipment from the back room of the store, to view and secretly record individuals who entered the back office area to illegally sell firearms and contraband. The store managers each wore a transmitter that allowed agents to listen in on and secretly record conversations regarding the alleged illegal transactions.

Authorities arrested 5 of the 8 federal defendants and 7 of the 10 state defendants earlier today and the federal and state indictments have been unsealed. Three of federal defendants appeared in U.S. District Court in Rockford this morning and were ordered detained without bond until a detention hearing could be held on February 18, 2010. The remaining 2 federal defendants who have been arrested will appear this afternoon in U.S. District Court. Of the 8 federal defendants, 2 are currently in Winnebago County Jail and will appear in U.S. District Court for arraignment on February 25, 2010 at 11:00 a.m.

Details of each of the eight federal cases follow:

Marcus J. Causey, 24, of Rockford, was charged in a 20-count indictment in connection with allegedly illegally selling 16 firearms — seven shotguns, six handguns and three rifles — between May 4 and Aug. 18, 2009. He was charged with one count of selling 16 firearms without a federal firearms dealer’s license, 13 counts of selling firearms to a convicted felon, five counts of possessing unregistered sawed-off shotguns, and one count of possessing a shotgun with an obliterated serial number.

The indictment lists the firearms that Causey allegedly illegally sold as: an Excam .38 caliber two-shot derringer; a Winchester 16 gauge shotgun; a Harrington & Richardson 12 gauge shotgun; a Winchester 12 gauge shotgun; a Colt .32 caliber pistol; a Remington 12 gauge shotgun; an Iver Johnson double barrel 12 gauge shotgun; a Remington .243 caliber rifle; a Charter Arms .22 caliber rifle; a Stevens 12 gauge shotgun; a Savage 20 gauge shotgun; a Bryco Arms .380 caliber pistol; an Iver Johnson .38 caliber revolver; a Harrington & Richardson .32 caliber revolver; a Marlin .22 caliber rifle; and a Heritage Manufacturing .22 caliber revolver;

Derell C. Valentine, 25, also known as “Frog,” of Rockford was charged in a 20-count indictment in connection with allegedly illegally selling nine firearms, including five shotguns, on various dates in May 2009. He was charged with one count of selling nine firearms without a federal firearms dealer’s license, nine counts of being a previously convicted felon in possession of a firearm, seven counts of selling firearms to a convicted felon, three counts of possessing unregistered sawed-off shotguns;

Darrius D. Parker, also known as “D Block,” 27, of Rockford, was charged in a four-count indictment with firearms and narcotics offenses. He was charged with two counts of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, one count of distribution of approximately 40 Ecstasy tablets, and one count of distribution of approximately 46.6 grams of crack cocaine;

Marcus Anderson, also known as “Leroy,” 22, of Rockford, was charged in a four-count indictment in connection with allegedly illegally selling seven firearms, including two shotguns, on various dates between June and August 2009. He was charged with one count of selling seven firearms without a federal firearms dealer’s license and three counts of selling firearms to a convicted felon;

Tyrone M. Smith, also known as “T.Y.,” 32, of Rockford, was charged in a five-count indictment in connection with allegedly illegally selling five firearms, including two shotguns, on various dates between May and August 2009. He was charged with one count of selling five firearms without a federal firearms dealer’s license, three counts of selling firearms to a convicted felon, and one count of possessing an unregistered sawed-off shotgun;

Edward M. Ingram, also known as “E-Dub,” 22, of Rockford, was charged in a three-count indictment with one count of selling a firearm to a convicted felon, one count of distribution of approximately 56.9 grams of crack cocaine, and one count of possession with intent to distribute approximately one-half gram of heroin;

Brendon R. Turner, also known as “Black,” 22, of Rockford, was charged in a two-count indictment with one count of being a convicted felon in possession of firearm and one count of distribution of approximately two grams of crack cocaine; and

Jarrett Leon Lewis, also known as “Nation,” 26, of Rockford, was charged in a two-count indictment with one count of being a convicted felon in possession of firearm and one count of distribution of approximately 1.4 grams of crack cocaine.

The maximum penalties on each count of the federal offenses charged in these indictments are as follows: being a convicted felon-in-possession of a firearm, selling a firearm to a convicted felon, and possessing an unregistered sawed-off shotgun — 10 years in prison; selling firearms without a federal firearms dealer’s license, and selling a firearm with an obliterated serial number

— 5 years in prison, and each count carries a maximum fine of $250,000. Each of the federal narcotics distribution counts carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, except the crack cocaine count against Ingram carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison, and the crack cocaine count against Parker carries a mandatory minimum of 5 years and a maximum of 20 years in prison.

The state defendants and charges against each are:

• Jesse Leach, 47, violation of the Controlled Substances Act (delivery of Hydrocodone) (Class 2 felony);
• Lorenzo Lipscomb, 45, violation of the Controlled Substances Act (delivery of Hydrocodone) (Class 2 Felony);
• Skyanne B. Rentsch, 21, Unlawful Distribution of a Lookalike Substance (Class 3 Felony);
• Eddie Roberson, 52, two counts Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Weapon (Class 4 Felonies) and two counts Unlawful Sale of Firearms (Class 4 Felonies);
• Raul Rodriguez, 18, two counts Aggravated Unlawful Use of Weapons and Unlawful Sale of Firearms (Class 4 Felonies);
• Sierra Taylor, 23, violation of the Controlled Substances Act (delivery of cocaine) (Class 1 Felony);
• Torrence M. Taylor, 24, five counts Aggravated Unlawful Use of Weapons and two counts Unlawful Sale of Firearms (Class 4 Felonies);
• Israel O. Barnabas, also known as “Michael Harrington,” 31, delivery of cocaine (Class 1 Felony) and Unlawful Distribution of a Lookalike Substance (Class 3 Felony);
• Jacob M. Goldsmith, 18, two counts Aggravated Unlawful Use of Weapons and Unlawful Sale of Firearms (Class 4 Felonies); and
• Adan E. Ibarra, 17, 11 counts Aggravated Unlawful Use of Weapons and 7 counts Unlawful Sale of Firearms (Class 4 Felonies); Unlawful Use of Weapons (Class 3 Felony); and Gunrunning (Class X Felony)

The federal cases are being prosecuted in U.S. District Court in Rockford by Assistant United States Attorney John G. McKenzie.

The public is reminded that indictments contain only charges and are not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and are entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

BATFE

SALT LAKE CITY, UT — -(AmmoLand.com)- Federal firearms charges ranging from possession of an illegal machine gun to using a gun in furtherance of violent or drug trafficking crimes were filed against 170 individuals in Utah during 2009.

Gun cases are investigated and prosecuted as a part of Utah Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a coordinated initiative targeting gun and gang violence in Utah communities. The initiative, which includes federal, state, and local law enforcement officers and prosecutors, has been active in Utah for about 10 years. Utah has used Department of Justice funding to support a multi-jurisdictional task force housed at the ATF Field Office in Salt Lake City and in the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Jurisdictions around the state have worked with the special agents and task force officers to refer cases for investigation and prosecution.

The Utah PSN Task Force received national recognition for its work on several occasions, including awards recognizing the success of its partnerships in Utah, outstanding contributions by police officers and local prosecutors working with the task force, and media outreach efforts.

By way of comparison, 162 individuals were indicted in 2008, 204 in 2007, and 221 in 2006. Twelve indictments have been returned so far in 2010. While all violations of federal firearms laws are screened for prosecution, in recent years PSN officers and prosecutors have targeted firearms cases related to domestic violence, individuals with histories of violent crime arrests who were found in possession of a firearm, and individuals who make false statements on forms when purchasing firearm — “lie and buy” cases.

Of the 170 cases referred for prosecution last year, 143 targeted defendants were prohibited or restricted under federal law from possessing firearms. Included in the 143 are 92 individuals who had previous felony convictions; 35 individuals who were in the country illegally; nine individuals who were subject to a protective order or had previous domestic violence-related convictions; five who were addicted to drugs; one who was a fugitive; and one who was under indictment on another matter. (Federal law restricts individuals with felony convictions, drug addiction, domestic violence convictions, those subject to protective orders, those in the country illegally, or individuals under indictment from possessing firearms.)

Other PSN cases filed in 2009 include 35 defendants charged with possessing a firearm during the commission of violent or drug trafficking crimes. Eighteen defendants were charged with possession of stolen guns. Another 11 defendants were charged with possessing an unregistered firearm and two defendants were charged with stealing guns from a federal firearms licensee. Two defendants were charged with possessing a gun with an obliterated serial number. Individuals also were charged with possessing an illegal machine gun, transferring a gun to a juvenile and, lying on ATF forms to buy a gun. (Individual numbers add up to more than 170, because some individuals were charged with more than one count.)

“The goal of Utah Project Safe Neighborhoods is straightforward and clear — to disrupt gun violence strategically and comprehensively, using all available enforcement and prosecution tools and uniting federal, state and local efforts. We recognize that guns in the hands of convicted felons, individuals addicted to drugs or those engaged in violent crimes or drug trafficking offenses is a recipe for disaster in our communities,” Carlie Christensen, Acting U.S. Attorney for Utah, said today. “Project Safe Neighborhoods continues to be successful in Utah because of the consistently high level of cooperation between our partners.”

Melvin King, acting special agent in charge of ATF’s Denver Field Division, which includes Utah, said, “Today, more than ever, policing is a team effort if we are going to bring violent crime under control in our communities. ATF is grateful for the support and commitment of the state and local police departments who are supplying investigators and continued support for the PSN initiative.”

King also said it is important to understand that gun crime is not just a local or state issue. Criminals are passing guns from state to state and moving them into other countries, including Mexico and South America. “Violent criminals like these are our highest priority,” King said.

Examples of Informations/Indictments filed so far in 2010:

• David Tyrone Smith, 50, of Midvale, was charged in a two-count indictment returned Wednesday with retaliation against a federal official and possession of a firearm following a felony conviction. According to a complaint filed in the case, Smith was at the Social Security Administration office in Murray on Jan. 12, 2010, and became upset when he was advised that his disability claims had been denied. According to a complaint filed in the case, he made threats to shoot himself and others, including SSA employees or police officers. Smith ultimately left the SSA office. He was later arrested by Midvale police officers who found a .44 Taurus gun at Smith’s home in Midvale. Smith, who has a previous felony conviction, is prohibited from possessing a firearm.
• Ira Jay Walker, 33, and Christy Maria Carson, 27, both of Orem, are charged in an indictment returned Jan. 13, 2010, with possession of a stolen firearm. Walker also faces a one count of possession of a firearm after a felony conviction. Both counts carry potential 10-year sentences. Walker and Carson came to law enforcement’s attention in late November during an investigation of a stolen vehicle. The Orem Police Department officer investigating the case learned that a rifle was in the truck at the time of the theft. Information obtained during the course of the investigation led officers to Walker and Carson.
• Durango James Hart, 29, of Vernal, is charged in a one-count indictment with possession of an unregistered sawed-off shotgun. The charge carries a potential 10-year sentence. The charge against Hart stems from an investigation by the Uintah County Sheriff’s Office and the Vernal City Police Department.
• Jose Manuel Ortiz-Huerta, 33, of St. George, Utah, is charged in a felony information with being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm. The charge carries a potential 10-year sentence.

Defendants charged in indictments or felony informations are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty in court.

Additional PSN case examples

• Troy Richard Opfar, 33, of West Valley City, charged in a two-count indictment returned in October 2007 with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, was sentenced to 96 months in federal prison (no parole) in July 2009 after pleading guilty to possessing two handguns. Opfar had previous convictions for possession of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, burglary, witness tampering, and possession of ammunition by a convicted felon.
• Andre Mark Vasquez, 65, of Salt Lake City, who pleaded guilty in May 2009 to two counts of armed bank robbery, two counts of brandishing a firearm during the commission of a violent crime, two counts of bank robbery, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, was sentenced in August 2009 to 492 months in federal prison. Vasquez’ sentence included 32 years for brandishing weapons during the bank robberies. Before one of the robberies — a May 23, 2008, robbery of TransWest Credit Union in Sandy — Vasquez created a distraction by calling police and reporting that he had seen an armed person entering a local high school. He then robbed the credit union.
• Jonathan William Rodgers, 22, of the Salt Lake City area was indicted in September 2009 on two firearms charges, possession of a firearm and ammunition following a felony conviction and possession of an unregistered shotgun. According to a complaint filed in the case, U.S. Marshals in Utah learned that two individuals who were wanted by Wyoming officials for escape were in Taylorsville, Utah. Rodgers was one of those individuals. Law enforcement officers found the truck the suspects were driving at an apartment complex. The truck was observed leaving the apartment complex and driving to a store at 4700 South and Redwood Road in Taylorsville. When the suspects started to leave the store parking lot, law enforcement officers attempted to stop them. According to the complaint, the driver of the truck attempted to ram a police car and a pursuit was initiated. The truck ended up running through a fence and into a ditch in the Murray area. Occupants of the truck fled but were later apprehended. Jonathan William Rodgers was one of the individuals in the truck. Inside of the truck, officers found a maroon duffle bag and a black back pack. A 12 gauge sawed off shotgun with four rounds in it was found in the maroon duffle bag. In the back pack, officers found three boxes of shotgun ammunition. They also found items belonging to Rodgers, including a wallet, jail booking paperwork, and a West Valley City citation for jaywalking. As a convicted felon, Rodgers is prohibited from possessing a firearm or any ammunition. Rodgers pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in October and was sentenced Jan. 12, 2010, to 33 months in federal prison.
• Richard Reynolds Hill, 55, of St. George, was charged in May 2009 with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and drug charges. He was arrested in May when officers from the St. George Police Department and the Washington County Drug Task Force served a search warrant at his home and he was found in possession of a Glock 9 millimeter pistol. Hill, who according to the complaint has multiple convictions, is prohibited from possessing a firearm. He pleaded guilty Nov. 2, 2009, to the firearms charge. Sentencing in the case is set for March 1, 2010. He faces up to 10 years in federal prison.

More information about the ATF, Project Safe Neighborhoods and its other programs is available at www.atf.gov.

National Association for Gun Rights

Colorado - -(AmmoLand.com)- Now there’s indisputable evidence of what gun owners like you and me have been saying for years.

Gun bans do NOT decrease gun crime.

In fact, if anything, they increase it.

Banning guns only disarms law-abiding citizens while criminals are empowered knowing their targets have been disarmed.

Ownership of a handgun has been virtually impossible in Britain since 1997 but according to a recent article, gun crime has gone up 89% in the past decade.

Yet, every time there is any gun related violence the anti-gunners continue to repeat their worn out mantra: If we just banned guns it would all go away.

I’m sick and tired of them getting away with this sort of rhetoric.

It’s time they look at the facts and read the statistics and it’s time gun owners have the evidence they need to argue against the unfounded claims of gun-grabbers.

For more on this story, click here to see Luke’s blog.

Buckeye Firearms Foundation

Ohio - -(AmmoLand.com)- I don’t know exactly how long Colleen Long has been employed by the Associated Press, but if the journalist publishes many more facts that expose the lies of the gun control movement, I expect she’ll be visiting the unemployment lines very soon.

In an article noting an increase in the number of officers killed in the line of duty by gunfire in 2009, Long departed from the anti-gun media template by providing a great deal of perspective on the increase.

From the story:

The number of officers killed in the line of duty by gunfire increased 24 percent from 2008, according to preliminary statistics compiled by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, a national nonprofit organization that tracks officer-related deaths.

As of Saturday, 47 police officers have died nationwide this year after being shot while on duty, up from 38 for the same time in 2008, which was the lowest number of gunfire deaths since 1956, according to the data.

Just publishing the actual numbers themselves (38 last year, 47 this year) provides a great deal of perspective. And keeping in mind that there are close to 1 million officers on the street (a number Long also provides later in the story), the situation becomes even clearer.

But Long didn’t stop there.

The availability of guns compounds the problem, criminologists say. But Pennsylvania, the state with the most gun-related officer deaths so far this year, has among the strictest gun laws in the country, according to a ranking by the pro-gun-control Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. Other states, like Louisiana, Oklahoma and Kentucky, have very little oversight and had few, if any, officer gun deaths this year.

Amazing! This is the type of analysis that is completely absent from the vast majority of gun-related reports in mainstream media. Pro-gun advocates often point out that the Brady Campaign gives better grades for having tough gun control laws to states that also have the highest gun violence, but the point is rarely repeated by media who dutifully publish the Brady bunch’s grade card press release each year.

The story goes on to note that Kevin Morison, a spokesman for the Officers Memorial Fund, which keeps the statistics, said he sees people on both sides of the gun debate using the numbers to prove points.

“But folks who are willing to intentionally target police officers seem to be able to find a way to accrue guns regardless of what the laws in those state would be,” Long quotes Morison as saying, again raising a point those who oppose gun control laws often make, only to have their observations spiked by a biased media.

As if she is unaware she is writing for the anti-gun Associated Press, Long includes still more perspective at the conclusion of her story.

Overall gunfire deaths have more or less been on a steady decline for decades as more tools become available to keep officers safe. More officers are required to wear bullet-resistant vests. There’s also better and faster medical care to save an officer’s life.

In 1973, during a heyday of corruption and crime, there were around 600,000 officers and about 156 gunfire deaths. Currently, there are about 900,000 law enforcement officers nationwide and only 47 gunfire deaths this year — a per-capita decrease of nearly 21 percent.

I’m not sure how Colleen Long’s story made it past the biased editors at the Associated Press, but I’m glad it did. Poll after poll shows a majority of Americans support the right to bear arms for self-defense, and oppose new gun control laws. No one is asking for the bias to simply switch to the pro-gun side, but it is high-time the American media start telling the whole story in its coverage of gun-related issues, and Colleen Long has written an excellent example of how such articles can be written.

Chad D. Baus is the Buckeye Firearms Association Vice Chairman.

About:
Buckeye Firearms Association is a grassroots political action committee dedicated to defending and advancing the right of Ohio citizens to own and use firearms for all legal activities. Visit: www.BuckeyeFirearms.org

Maryland Shall Issue.org

Maryland --(AmmoLand.com)- For your daily dosage of circular logic, we present the Maryland State Police’s response to the budget suggestions website that Governor O’Malley used to accept our input on the financial benefits of shall issue legislation.

It seems that Maryland, despite amongst the most restrictive laws regarding permits to carry a firearm, is still by the Superintendent’s own admission one of the most violent states in the union.

His flawed logic seems to indicate that he believes that it’s the citizens who purchase their firearms lawfully and are willing to submit to a grueling permitting process who are the ones that are the cause of our consistently high rate of violent crime.

It’s a true pity that there is such a disconnect between the political appointees that occupy senior law enforcement positions and the honorable men and women who serve on the streets who mostly understand the simple fact that it is not law abiding gun owners who cause the crime.

If these political creatures were in touch with their line officers, they would find that the vast majority of them support shall issue legislation.

Thank you for your submission to Governor Martin O’Malley with your suggestion on budget reductions for the State of Maryland. Your suggestion to make Maryland a shall issue concealed carry weapons permit State has been forwarded to my office to review for consideration.

The Maryland State Police receives on average in excess of 4,000 applications for handgun permits and renewals each year. The process takes at least 90 business days to complete. For the State to make a substantial profit and continue to pay for the program, it would have to rely on receiving several thousand new permits each year at the higher fee rate. Increasing the permit fees alone would not offset the cost to manage the program as well as provide surplus funds to the general fund. Raising the fee to guarantee substantial profits could prevent the permit for someone who truly has a good and substantial reason.

Maryland is one of the most violent states in the country due to gun violence. Shall issue laws would provide for more firearms on the streets and could impact public safety. Firearm sales in Maryland alone have increased over 200% since January of 2009.

The Maryland General Assembly has considered wear and carry legislation for years. Each year the legislation fails to pass out of committee.

Again, thank you for your email to Governor O’Malley.

Sincerely,

Terrence B. Sheridan
Superintendent

About:
Maryland Shall Issue is an all volunteer, non-partisan effort dedicated to the preservation and advancement of all gun owners’ rights in Maryland, with a primary goal of CCW reform to allow all law-abiding citizens the right to carry a concealed weapon; and to the education of the community to the awareness that ’shall issue’ laws have, in all cases, resulted in decreased rates of violent crime.”

BATFE

NEW YORK – -(AmmoLand.com)- Ronald B. Turk, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF), New York Field Division today releases aggregate trace data for crime guns recovered in New York State for calendar year 2008.

A complete review of ATF firearms trace data compiled from Jan.1 to Dec. 31, 2008, from a data set run on 2/12/09, for several regions in New York State reveals the following:

• 9,558 firearms were submitted to ATF NY to be traced – 6,764 handguns and
• 2,659 long guns.
• Statewide, handguns outnumbered long guns by more than 2 to 1.
• 54% of all firearms recovered were in NY City.
• In NY City, handguns outnumbered long guns by more than 5 to 1.
• Each region has unique concerns when dealing with newer weapons.

As noted previously, a key component of ATF’s enforcement mission is the tracing of firearms on behalf of thousands of Federal, State, local, and foreign law enforcement agencies, yet still only about 30% of the crime guns recovered nationwide are submitted to ATF to be traced. In 2002 however, New York State enacted mandatory crime gun tracing through the ATF Crime Gun Center in Brooklyn. The Gun Center is the central repository for all recovered and traced firearms in New York and gives ATF and our law enforcement partners an accurate and timely picture of illegal gun trafficking in the state. The most important piece of information of a traced firearm, other than the purchaser, is the Time to Crime (TTC) statistic. That is, the time period from the initial sale of a weapon by a federally licensed dealer to its recovery by law enforcement. Every gun with a TTC less than 2 years is looked at individually by ATF analysts. A TTC less than 2 years may be a strong indicator of illegal firearms trafficking. A snapshot fact sheet for this 2 year time period is attached to this release.

Trace data tracks the transfer of a firearm from the importer or manufacturer to the gun’s first purchaser. This information can assist law enforcement in ultimately pinpointing the individual(s) who used the gun to commit a crime. ATF conducts traces to identify criminals for prosecution; therefore firearms trace data is considered sensitive criminal intelligence. It is vital that this intelligence be shared with our State and local law enforcement partner to better assist them in investigating and solving violent crimes impacting their communities.

Again, ATF is committed to providing critically important trace data to law enforcement agencies who seek our assistance. To ensure that we furnish the results in a timely manner, we must make certain that our efforts remain focused on criminal investigations, including the analysis of comprehensive crime gun trends and patterns.

By posting these statistics, New Yorkers can now use the Internet to find specific firearm recovery information and gain some insight into these recoveries by learning about the types of offenses and where firearms were recovered within their state.

Special Agent in Charge Turk said, “Ensuring that all crime guns are traced is the first step in identifying potential illegal gun runners. Analyzing these trace results streamlines our investigative focus so we can concentrate on stemming the flow of illegal guns into New York.”

More information about ATF and its programs is available at www.atf.gov.

Statistics from data set run on 2/12/09

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), New York Field Division

2 year or less Time-To-Crime category (Potentially Trafficked Firearms)

The NY City, Westchester, Long Island and Albany regions all had larger handgun (pistol, revolver and derringer) recoveries versus long guns (shotgun and rifle).

Conversely, the Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo regions all had a larger number of long guns recovered versus handguns.

• New York City – total 313 weapons, 88% handguns and 12% long guns.
  96% handguns purchased outside NYS and 71% long guns from within NYS.
• Westchester – total 36 weapons, 56% handguns and 44% long guns.
  75% handguns purchased out of NY State (NYS) while 94% long guns from within NYS.
• Long Island – total 51 weapons, 59% handguns and 41% long guns.
  97% handguns purchased outside NYS and100% long guns within NYS.
• Albany – total 42 weapons, 52% handguns and 48% long guns.
  77% of handguns purchased outside of NYS and 95% long guns from within NYS.
• Syracuse – total 66 weapons, 45% handguns and 55% long guns.
  90% handguns purchased outside NYS and 89% long guns from within NYS.
• Rochester – total 35 weapons, 29% handguns and 71% long guns.
  50% handguns purchased outside NYS and 68% long guns from within NYS.
• Buffalo – total 91 weapons, 48% handguns and 52% long guns.
  60% handguns purchased outside NYS and 91% long guns from within NYS.

* Region/County identification legend:

• New York City (Manhattan, Bronx, Queens, Kings, Richmond)
• Westchester Region (Westchester, Rockland, Orange, Sullivan, Putnam, Dutchess)
• Long Island Region (Nassau, Suffolk)
• Albany Region (Ulster, Columbia, Greene, Delaware, Rensselaer, Albany, Schohaire, Otsego, Schenectady, Montgomery, Herkimer, Fulton, Saratoga, Washington, Warren, Hamilton, Essex, Clinton, Franklin)
• Syracuse Region (Broome, Tioga, Tompkins, Cortland, Chenango, Madison, Onondaga, Cayuga, Oneida, Oswego, Lewis, Jefferson, St. Lawrence)
• Rochester Region (Wayne, Monroe, Livingston, Ontario, Yates, Seneca, Steuben, Schuyler, Chemung)
• Buffalo Region (Niagara, Erie, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Allegany, Wyoming, Genesee, Orleans)

The 2008 New York State and City statistics are posted on the ATF NY web site; http://www.atf.gov/field/newyork/trace_data.htm.

About:
ATF – A unique law enforcement agency in the United States Department of Justice that protects our communities from violent criminals, criminal organizations, the illegal use and trafficking of firearms, the illegal use and storage of explosives, acts of arson and bombings, acts of terrorism, and the illegal diversion of alcohol and tobacco products.

We partner with communities, industries, law enforcement and public safety agencies to safeguard the public we serve through information sharing, training, research, and use of technology.