

	June 21, 2000 ls-723 TREASURY, ATF RELEASE GUN TRAFFICKING INVESTIGATIONS REPORT Treasury Secretary Lawrence H. Summers today released the most comprehensive report ever about the illegal firearms market based on the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF). The report, Following the Gun: Enforcing Federal Laws Against Firearms Traffickers documents more than 1,500 firearms trafficking investigations that led to the conviction, prosecution and sentencing of corrupt licensed dealers, straw purchasers, unlicensed dealers, and traffickers of stolen guns. The investigations were initiated by ATF between July 1996 and December 1998 and conducted in partnership with U.S. Attorneys and state and local authorities. "We are cracking down on gun traffickers and making it harder and harder for criminals to obtain guns illegally," said Secretary Summers. "But, this report also shows that we must do more to close every trafficking channel, starting with closing the gun show loophole, and stiffening criminal penalties for firearms dealers and large-scale traffickers." The report found that: Approximately 1,500 trafficking investigations led to over 1,700 defendants being prosecuted. Of the almost 60 percent of these defendants adjudicated at the time of the survey, 812 firearms traffickers were convicted and sentenced in federal court to a cumulative total of 7,420 years in prison with an average sentence of about nine years. A quarter of the traffickers identified in the investigations were convicted felons. About 45 percent of the investigations involved convicted felons who illegally bought, sold, possessed, received, or stole firearms. Nearly half of the trafficked firearms, 40,000, were associated with investigations of corrupt FFLs. Corrupt federal firearms licensees (FFLs) - retail dealers, pawnshops, and residential FFLs - were associated with about 9 percent of investigations and, with the largest average number of firearms per investigation, 350. Almost 26,000 trafficked firearms were associated with investigations involving gun shows. Gun shows were associated with the second highest number of trafficked firearms per investigation, 130 guns, and about 14 percent of the investigations. More than 22,500 trafficked firearms were associated with investigations of unlicensed sellers. Unlicensed sellers were the focus of about a fifth of the investigations and were associated with an average of 75 guns per investigation. Almost 26,000 trafficked firearms were associated with investigations in which there was a straw purchaser. Straw purchasers, who buy firearms on behalf of others from licensed and unlicensed sellers, and transfer them either to prohibited persons or to unlicensed sellers, were the most common subject of trafficking investigations. Almost half of all the trafficking investigations involved straw purchasers, with an average of 37 firearms trafficked per investigation. About 11,000 trafficked firearms were associated with investigations involving theft. Firearms stolen from residences, federally licensed retail firearms dealers, and common carriers were involved in over a quarter of the ATF trafficking investigations. Of the three targets of theft, common carriers were associated with the most number of guns per investigation, over 66. Firearms tracing was used as an investigative tool in 60 percent of the investigations, and analysis of crime gun tracing information and multiple sales reports created the leads to start 30 percent of the investigations. ATF Director Bradley Buckles stated, "ATF is confident that crime gun tracing solidifies the law enforcement partnerships needed to keep the streets of this nation safer and more secure." In a transmittal letter to the President, Secretary Summers outlined several legislative and enforcement steps to reduce illegal firearms trafficking including stiffer criminal penalties, increasing sentencing for major traffickers and expanding the level of firearms tracing to identify all sources of crime guns. Following the Gun: Enforcing Federal Laws Against Firearms Traffickers is available on ATF's website: http://www.atf.gov/ LINKS ATF's website