Utah hailed as leader in gun-violence fight

WASHINGTON — While Utah is not known for tough gun-control laws, federal and local officials told Congress Tuesday it still is a national leader in the fight against gun violence.

A new federal program has law agencies statewide working together to throw the book at any criminal who uses a gun.

"This program is not anti-gun but anti-gun violence," Paul Warner, U.S. attorney for Utah, told the Senate Judiciary Committee about President Bush's Project Safe Neighborhoods.

Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, said Bush introduced the program two years ago to fund more prosecutors and resources to go after criminals who use guns. "He has stated his commitment simply, clearly and with honesty: 'If you use a gun illegally, you will do hard time,' " Hatch said.

Warner and West Valley Police Capt. Russell Edward Spann, who commands the Project Safe Neighborhoods Gun Task Force in Utah, said the program has brought great results in the Beehive State as it helps coordinate training, tracking guns and ensuring that criminals face the stiffest penalties possible.

Warner said the program has led his office to prosecute more than 800 firearms cases in federal court — where penalties are often stiffer than state courts. "Last year alone, my office brought 300 firearms cases. This number made Utah a national leader in the fight against gun violence," he said.

One example of how the program made a difference, he said, was in how agencies joined forces to go after a gang called the King Mafia Disciples. He said that despite aggressive state prosecution, the gang continued to commit violent acts with guns — even apparently ordering crimes from within the Utah State Prison.

So the task force decided to go after the gang using federal racketeering laws, which have stiffer penalties. It convicted eight of the 10 leaders of the gang, while two are currently being tried.

"The average sentence has been nearly 16 years in prison," Warner said. "Gang members are aware of the 'new' program and fear that they may be targeted for federal prosecution," which, he said, helps stop violent gang action.

"Cooperation between law enforcement agencies in Utah has been achieved at the highest attainable levels," Spann said. He added that local officers retain control of their own cases but have access to help statewide for investigation, tracking weapons and suspects and help with prosecution.

For example, he said, "Ten guns stolen during one burglary in one Utah county were tracked to Texas, New Mexico and two different counties in Utah."

"In 2001, criminals used guns to commit over one-third of a million violent crimes, including 64 percent of all homicides, resulting in over 10,000 deaths," Hatch said.

He noted $500 million has been spent on the initiative so far and the Bush administration hopes to spend $900 million. It has added 207 new federal prosecutors and 600 local prosecutors to handle gun cases. Since 2001, Hatch said, federal gun prosecutions have increased by 40 percent.

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