Would-be gun offenders face threat of federal prison
Jun 18, 2012, 7:41 AM | Updated: 1:52 pm
A mourner gathers outside Cafe Racer in Seattle, scene of last month's mass shooting that left four dead. Top local, state and federal officials plan to unveil a new initiative to combat gun violence Monday. (AP Photo/seattlepi.com, Sofia Jaramillo)
(AP Photo/seattlepi.com, Sofia Jaramillo)
Federal prosecutors plan to more aggressively target those who carry out gun violence on the streets of Seattle.
On Monday, U.S. Attorney Jenny Durkan stood alongside Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn, Deputy Chief Nick Metz, King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg, and others to announce new efforts to combat gun violence after a series of high-profile shootings in the city.
Going forward, Durkan said her office will prosecute every gun case in which it has jurisdiction and in which defendants would face more federal prison time than they would have at the state level.
“If you bring a gun to a crime, you will do time. And you likely will do federal time,” said Durkan. “We have seen it makes a difference on the street if people know that when they commit those crimes they will be looking at federal time in federal prisons far from their homes.”
In 2011, Durkan’s office reviewed roughly 200 cases that involved weapons, but prosecuted only those they deemed to be “the worst of the worst.”
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Nick Metz said police have stepped up their efforts to get illegal guns of the street, recovering more than 360 so far this year.
“Many of those were stolen,” Metz said. “Many of those guns were possessed by people who it would be considered illegal for them to possess.”
In addition to Monday’s formal briefing, a large
community gathering and forum will take place Monday night
at Town Hall.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
