Federal hammer falling on convicted felons with guns [View All]

Tuesday, June 15, 2004

By Torsten Ove, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

When Pierre Rocelle Johnson got arrested in the East End last month on charges of carrying an illegal gun, he had a message for the Pittsburgh police who chased him down and took him into custody.

"Take a look at my rap sheet," he taunted an officer at the Allegheny County Jail, according to an affidavit. "I'll be out in no time and I'm going to get even with you."

SNIP

Since the beginning of the fiscal year in October 2003, the U.S. attorney's office has indicted 77 cases involving 89 defendants, most of them, like Johnson, convicted felons charged with carrying guns.

That compares to 34 cases in 2003, 52 in 2002, 37 in 2001 and 24 in 2000.

Rest of the article is here:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04167/331972.stm

Wow! Enforcing existing laws against felons who illegally carry guns. It didn't even require a new law!