ATF homes in on gun offenses in South Carolina

The State ^ | Sep 02, 2003 | LAUREN MARKOE

[Between the Lines]

Agents in S.C. refer more cases to U.S. attorney's office.

Federal agents are cracking down on gun offenders in South Carolina, sending hundreds of cases to federal prosecutors each year -- up from a few dozen five years ago.

And those cases -- handled by the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives -- are resulting in convictions: 116 in 2002, compared with half that in 1998.

"We are targeting the worst of the worst," said Strom Thurmond Jr., the U.S. attorney for South Carolina. "When someone with multiple violent convictions is sentenced to a substantial amount of time in federal prison, the community has to be safer."

Why the spike in cases?

One reason is there are more ATF agents in South Carolina.

For instance, Pat Dumais, agent in charge for the ATF offices in Columbia and Florence, has twice the number of agents he had when he took his job four years ago.

Now there are eight in the Columbia office, which covers Richland, Lexington and 10 surrounding counties, and two in the Florence office, which is responsible for seven surrounding counties.

The ATF also has offices in Charleston and Greenville.

The focus of the ATF also has sharpened, Dumais said.

After its first priority -- terrorism prevention -- ATF agents nationwide are working on Project Safe Neighborhoods. Its mantra: Get gun offenders off the streets.

In South Carolina, the effort goes by a different name -- "Project Ceasefire," modeled after a Boston program.

"The majority of our manpower is spent on Ceasefire cases," Dumais said. "We do have arms trafficking and explosives cases, but we are focused on Ceasefire."

The result is that about 30 ATF agents in South Carolina referred 426 cases to Thurmond's office last year -- a more than fivefold increase from 1998, when they referred 78 cases.

That reflects a national trend. Referrals from ATF agents across the country increased 147 percent during the same period.

Like police and sheriff's departments, agents in the ATF are charged with building cases against those who commit crimes with guns.

But the ATF targets criminals with an added dimension to their crime: breaking federal gun laws. Possessing a gun -- or even ammunition -- is a federal crime for an already-convicted felon. And for those with three felonies on their records, the minimum mandatory prison time is 15 years if convicted.

"The system we have in place is capturing a lot of them," Dumais said.

Earl Woodham, a spokesman for the ATF in the Carolinas, said the relationship between ATF agents and the U.S. attorney in South Carolina is one of the closest in the nation. The agents know well what the U.S. attorneys can successfully prosecute.

One typical case began with a traffic stop in the 3000 block of Two Notch Road in March 2001.

The Richland County Sheriff's Department found Frankie Doctor Jr., 32, in possession of a .38-caliber pistol. Because he already had three felony convictions, including an assault and battery in 1997, Doctor's case was taken up by the ATF and forwarded to the U.S. attorney.

Doctor is now serving a 15-year sentence.

"They don't send them any rinky-dink cases," Woodham said.

[BenR2]

I hope this warms someone's heart.

(Because it chills mine.)

[doosee]

Don't count me as an ATF fan, but why does this chill you? I live in SC and watch the crime reports closely. They are going after the career criminals who are packing without a carry permit. These are the repeat offenders who will absolutely end up killing. The sooner they are off the street and the longer they are off, we are all better off.

[Between the Lines]

I thought the same as you did Doosee. And there is the plus that these offenders will be spending time in federal prisons and not SC prisons. But I did a search on the web and did find something that sent a chill down my spine.

From Justnet:

The third component [of project CeaseFire] is a state-of-the-art gunfire detection system. This technology consists of acoustical devices, which specifically identify gunfire by screening out other similar sounds (such as automobile backfires and firecrackers) and triangulating to provide a specific geographical location within 20 to 40 feet. The information is instantly displayed on a computerized map and reaction teams in targeted areas are notified to immediately respond to the location. The system can be linked to a computer generated call out system.

The link is here: Project CeaseFire - South Carolina

From what I found this is also in Boston, Kansas City MO and Savannah. Comming soon to Augusta, Milwaukee and St Louis. South Carolina seems to be the only place where it is statewide.

[freepatriot32]

"A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed."

Hmmm the english worded sentence above seems pretty straight forward and I did get out my magnifying glass to check for any astrisks in that amendment and found none so that would seem to me that any law that says your going to prison for 15 years soley for possesing a gun is unconstitutional on its face.

If you have an inalienable right to life you have the inalienable right to defend your life by any means necessary convicted felon or not.

Most convicted felons such as gang bangers and drug dealers need guns more then the rest of society because they are the ones getting shot at the most and its not just gangbangers and drug dealers that are felons anymore.Read this article to see how many felonys most americans commit every day without realizing it. future felons of americaOr go to this articlePritchet in his own words and read post 15 by graybeard and see exactly how easy it is to be a felon and forever lose your rights according to the state. Its scary stuff.

Finally lets see what jesus christ the messia has to say about being armed and able to defend your life against an attacker shall we

Luke 22, 35 ¶ And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes,lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing.

36 Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.

It doesnt sound like jesus gives his support and blessing to the atf or sarah brady crowd and I'm sorry but i will be more inclined to listen to jesus then I would be john ashcroft a.k.a. janet reno with a smaller penis.But thats just me.

also read All god's children got guns

Another really interesting first hand acount of what happens when a goverment starts conviscating guns can be found here Full Interview with Holocaust Survivor, Theodore Haas

So what can you expect from a goverment such as ours that completely disarms an entire group of citizens in this case convicted felons? something remarkabley similiar to this

any unjust goverment that refuses to honor your god given rights as outlined in the first ten amendments is not legitimate and cannot be justly obeyed.Stay armed and shoot straight convicted felon or not

[Between the Lines]

Related article: Project CeaseFire - South Carolina

[freepatriot32]

Thanks for the link more gestopo tactics from the fed gov. The only thing im shocked about is that im not shocked about anythnig they do anymore.

[Chancellor Palpatine]

Got a felony in your background, eh?

Sorry, but defending the alleged gun rights of career hoods who are generally caught when committing new crimes is not a worthy fight. Keep it up though, you might make some nice coin - HCI needs many examples of gun fringers to exploit, and they just may send you a check.

[CalvaryJohn]

Convicted felon crying because you gave up your Right to Keep and Bear Arms. Boo Hoo. And then you invoke the bible to make a decent argument, but completely out of context with the issue in question. In this country, felons are not allowed to carry. Get over it.

[Between the Lines]

Sorry, but defending the alleged gun rights of career hoods who are generally caught when committing new crimes is not a worthy fight.

While I agree with you about not defending felons, there is more to this than it would appear. (Please see related article: Project CeaseFire ) The ATF is setting up a gunfire detection system that will encompass the entire state. I harldy think that it's sole purpose is to trap felons.

[Chancellor Palpatine]

I'm not sure which part of his screed is funnier - his comparison of depriving firearms to felons with Nazi death camps, or this statement:

Most convicted felons such as gang bangers and drug dealers need guns more then the rest of society because they are the ones getting shot at the most and its not just gangbangers and drug dealers that are felons anymore.

[Chancellor Palpatine]

Detection of gunfire within high crime zones can allow for quicker dispatch of police - it can deescalate situations before someone gets killed, and can also help in the speedier apprehension of violent criminals.

[Vigilantcitizen]

"Detection of gunfire within high crime zones can allow for quicker dispatch of police - it can deescalate situations before someone gets killed, and can also help in the speedier apprehension of violent criminals."

Agreed. But why South Carolina, and not D.C., New York, L.A., Detroit, Atlanta etc. where crime is much more rampant.

[Between the Lines]

Detection of gunfire within high crime zones can allow for quicker dispatch of police - it can deescalate situations before someone gets killed, and can also help in the speedier apprehension of violent criminals.

I live in South Carolina and while there are places that have high crime rates the entire state is not a high crime zone!

[Cultural Jihad]

Most convicted felons such as gang bangers and drug dealers need guns more then the rest of society because they are the ones getting shot at the most and its not just gangbangers and drug dealers that are felons anymore.

Yuck. Do you work for Handgun Control, Inc? Or do you just enjoy carrying their water for them? Once anyone proves their irresponsibility they lose their rights as far as society is rightfully concerned. Maybe you'd prefer some sort of "3,372 strikes and you're out" plan, and even then felons in prisons probably ought to all be strapped, eh?

[Chancellor Palpatine]

...even then felons in prisons probably ought to all be strapped, eh?

Would they get to bring their pieces in with them, or would they have to buy them in the prison commissary? And what about availability of all classes of firearms, up to and including full auto? If the commissary didn't offer those, it would n doubt be a violation to not allow them to order them.

And what about reloading equipment, as well as range time? It occurs to me that a prison bound guy would have every right to unlimited range time.....

[Chancellor Palpatine]

It makes sense to try it and see if it works in a less densely populated state. It looks to be more of a trial than anything.

[Between the Lines]

Detection of gunfire within high crime zones can allow for quicker dispatch of police.

I have never heard of using triangulation surveillance equipment to detect gunfire to deter crime in the US before. I am sure it has happened but I have never heard of it nor have I seen it published.

They are not telling us that we are under surveillance. Everything they tell us is wonderful, we are cracking down on crime, we are locking up criminals, you can help. I found the other article I posted by accident buried in the Department of Justices website. And it is the only article I can find on project CeaseFire that says anything about the surveillance. Why is it buried in a crime technology website and not out in the open? Why are they not touting this like they are the rest of the program? And would you be so nonchalant if every time you fired your gun whether your hunting or just practicing, a response team was alerted to your actions as I soon will be?

[Between the Lines]

It makes sense to try it and see if it works in a less densely populated state.

There are 30 states less densely populated than South Carolina. Including our neighbor Georgia.

It looks to be more of a trial than anything.

A survelance network that will cover an entire state does not sound like something that will go away once the trial is over.

[supercat]

Sorry, but defending the alleged gun rights of career hoods who are generally caught when committing new crimes is not a worthy fight.

What about people who are branded as felons for crimes which are comparatively minor and/or occurred a long time ago?

There was a case discussed recently in which case someone's background check was denied because he had, 35 years ago when he was 17, plead guilty to being an accessory to the theft of a case of beer. Since misdemeanor theft was at the time punishable by up to two years in prison, this guy was considered a "convicted felon" even though he in fact received 30 days' probation.

Given the ever-expanding range of people who get branded as "felons", I think it's about time to start sticking up for some of their rights.