Isles get feds’ help
on gun crimes

Project Safe Neighborhoods
will offer stiffer penalties

A television ad says: "Behind this door is a drug dealer. Behind this door is a gun. Help end crime. Your voice is your weapon."

And the accused will be tried in federal court.

That's what a federal program does to sweep criminals off the streets by tackling gun-related crimes, usually the jurisdiction of state and local law enforcement.

Project Safe Neighborhoods launched a local ad campaign last month aimed at cracking down on gun crimes. The ads warn of the stiffer penalties of violating federal laws and try to elicit the public's help.

Under this project, state and federal agencies have worked together to prosecute criminals for federal rather than state crimes.

From early 2002 to last December, of the roughly 300 investigations conducted by federal agents, 260 people were charged with federal crimes. In the first 150 cases selected for prosecution, authorities found repeat offenders who had among them more than 3,000 arrests and more than 1,000 convictions.

The project targets gun violence and persons prohibited from having firearms (such as felons, those with domestic-abuse convictions or who are subject to a temporary restraining order), and anyone possessing illegal firearms.

Federal laws helped one rural Big Island community with a felon who threatened neighbors who could hear gunshots being fired, said Big Island Deputy Prosecutor Catherine Tai. Residents were fearful, but there was not a lot local prosecutors could do under state law, she said.

"We got a search warrant for the property and recovered three bullets," Tai said. The suspect was taken into custody for the federal offense of being a felon in possession of ammunition.

"Most importantly, it's a quick thing. It gives us another avenue to achieve the most just results," she said.

The Big Island also received two Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agents.

Under the program, deputy prosecutors are designated to screen and route cases to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Police are deputized to make arrests for federal crimes as special U.S. marshals.

Tai said the relationship with the U.S. Attorney's Office is a positive one. She said she has never hesitated to call and that everyone works together.

"We try to measure who's going to get the better bang for the buck, who can get the best sentence that most appropriately fits the actions of the defendant," said Ron Johnson, Project Safe Neighborhoods coordinator and supervisory assistant U.S. attorney.

Street criminals, such as drug dealers, are divulging the names of their higher-ups, helping authorities to unravel the drug web, Johnson said.

There is also an economic benefit to Project Safe Neighborhoods.

"It's an effort to be more effective with limited resources as to how we use our money," said Big Island Deputy Prosecutor Charlene Iboshi.

Iboshi said it makes sense to aggressively go after those who are at a high risk for violence with guns, because state funding for programs has stagnated over 10 years.

Honolulu police Maj. Mark Nakagawa said, "PSN provided a clear avenue of prosecution for certain gun cases that met the criteria.

"We're very happy with the results we're getting off this cooperative effort," he said.