NYC Lawmaker Wants Harsher Penalties For Large-Scale Gun Traffickers
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Bronx state Sen. Jeffrey Klein wants to boost the penalties for gun traffickers.
Under current law, those who sell larger quantities of illegal firearms could spend as little as five years in prison, WCBS 880's Rich Lamb reported. New legislation backed by Sen. Klein would extend sentences to a 15 year minimum, with a maximum of life in prison without parole.
"So I want to create the new crime of operating as a major firearms trafficker, which would be an A1 felony," Klein said.
According to New York State penal law, A-1 felonies include offenses like aggravated murder, arson in the first degree and kidnapping in the first degree, among others.
"Operating as a major trafficker," is already listed by New York State as an A-1 felony in relation to drug or controlled substance trafficking or profiteering.
Klein's legislation would apply to those convicted of selling 20 or more firearms illegally per year.
"I want to pinpoint these individuals who are selling multiple guns, a large amount of guns," Klein said. "These are sort of the gun kingpins."
According to Klein, the harsher penalties will cause those selling guns in larger quantities to think twice about what they are doing.
Last year, Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance also called for stronger gun trafficking legislation, after four people were arrested for allegedly smuggling guns into New York City through Greyhound buses as part of a multi-state gun trafficking ring.
At the time, Vance said whether you sell ten guns or 10,000, the penalty is the same -- a class B felony.
"We believe that the A1 felony which carries a minimum of 15 to life and a maximum of 25 to life will send a signal, particularly to gun sellers in the south," Vance said.
At the end of April, a New Jersey couple and four others were also arrested after allegedly smuggling dozens of guns into the city.
