Campaign Launced to Stop Illegal Purchases of Firearms in Arizona

Purchase a gun for someone who cant and buy yourself 10 years in jail. Phoenix, AZ Paul K. Charlton, United States Attorney for the District of Arizona; Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon and local officials; representatives from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); and the firearms industrys non-profit trade association, the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), jointly announced on November 14 a major campaign to reduce significantly the illegal straw purchases of firearms in Arizona. The program, called Dont Lie for the Other Guy, was developed to raise public awareness that it is a serious crime to purchase a firearm for someone who cannot legally do so and to educate firearms dealers on how to better detect and deter potential straw purchases. Dont Lie follows a daylong firearms dealer education seminar conducted jointly by the firearms industry, the ATF and the Federal Bureau of Investigation -- held last month in Phoenix and attended by approximately 100 dealers and their employees. The campaign drives home the message that anyone attempting an illegal firearm purchase faces a stiff federal penalty: Purchase a gun for someone who cant and buy yourself 10 years in jail. According to ATF statistics, over 99 percent of firearms dealers are law abiding. At a recent National Firearms Law Seminar ATF reported that only a small fraction of one percent of all firearms dealers faced criminal prosecution. ATF has long recognized the important role firearms dealers play in the fight to curb the illegal purchase of firearms. In 2005, ATF arrests led to over 1,440 individuals being convicted of illegal firearms trafficking, up 14 percent from the previous year. " 'Don't lie for the other guy' says it all," said U.S. Attorney Charlton. If you're buying a firearm for someone who can't buy one on their own - you'll go to prison. Licensed firearms dealers cannot sell guns to people who are prohibited from possessing them." Charlton added: "Often, people who are prohibited from owning guns try and get around the law by having friends or relatives purchase the guns for them. This is a straw purchase. Illegal firearms traffickers often use straw purchasers to buy guns for them so their own name is not recorded in gun store records. Then they resell these guns to criminals. So when a person is asked to buy a gun for someone else they must understand that they are being asked to commit a federal felony. When a person makes a straw purchase, they are not just risking prison time; they are arming gang members, felons, and illegal aliens. These offenses will not be tolerated in the District of Arizona." The ATF is on record as saying, The Dont Lie for the Other Guy program is vital in educating firearms dealers and their employees on how to recognize and deter the illegal purchase of firearms through straw purchases. This program is an important tool for ATF as we pursue our mission of preventing terrorism, reducing violent crime, and protecting the public. This program has been welcomed by firearms dealers as a valuable educational tool to better enable them to spot would-be straw purchasers and prevent illegal firearm sales, said Lawrence G. Keane, senior vice president and general counsel of NSSF. Our goal in reaching out to the public is to let them know they are committing a serious crime by attempting to purchase a firearm for someone who cannot legally possess one. We applaud and appreciate the support of the United States Attorney, the ATF and local media for stepping up to lead this effort. The campaign will visit firearms dealers in Arizona to distribute Dont Lie retailer kits. Each kit contains a video and informational brochure for storeowners and their staff as well as point-of-purchase displays aimed to raise public awareness and deter this illegal activity. United States Attorney Charlton will also serve as a spokesperson in a television public service announcement that delivers the Dont Lie message.