Gun Traffickers Beware
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Chicago has extended its reach beyond the felons with guns program. The new initiative enforced by the Chicago Police Department (CPD) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has begun to dismantle the problem of gun trafficking in response to the city's title of homicide capital of America. In 2003, Chicago led all major cities in the country with 598 homicides.
ATF defines firearms trafficking as the illegal diversion of firearms out of lawful commerce and into the hands of criminals, prohibited persons, and unsupervised juveniles. The individuals purchasing the guns for the criminals are called "straw purchasers" (SP). SPs are typically pressed for money or drugs and have a clean background. The traffickers rely on them to purchase guns legally, and pay them in cash drugs for their services.
It is not uncommon for SPs to be living off public aid, be strangers to traffickers (never know their names), and not be familiar with the guns they are purchasing. If a trafficker can not find an SP, other methods to obtain guns are by presenting false identification or stealing someone's identity strictly for the purpose of purchasing guns. In southern states, it is considerably easier to purchase guns, especially in bulk.
The U.S. Attorney's office announced that they were shifting their focus onto straw purchasers who obtain the guns for traffickers. The following are a few examples of how the guns are used:
*Tamiko Holloman of Memphis, TN bought 50-60 guns in Memphis and sold them to a convicted felon who in turn sold them to gang members. One gun recovered was used in an attempted carjacking.
*Craig Hughes of Indiana bought 22 guns in Indianapolis for a Chicago street gang member who needed them so his gang could protect their turf in Chicago's west side. One recovered gun was taken from a 17-year-old.
*Eric Tyler of Chicago bought two guns for a man he knew was a gang member and cocaine dealer from Milwaukee, WI. One gun was later recovered and found to have been used in a shootout at a Milwaukee police sergeant.
The following is a graphic regarding the US Route 55 pipeline that traffickers use to get guns bought in Mississippi to Chicago (Courtesy of the Chicago Tribune).
