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Report: Pennsylvania a Major Source of Guns Used in New York Crimes

A recent report from the office of New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman indicates that most gun crimes committed in New York involve weapons that come from out of the state. Pennsylvania was named as one of the major sources of those weapons.

Per the report, there were thousands of guns (30,606) that found their way to New York City alone between 2010 and 2015. Of those, 5,873 were recovered within three years of their known purchase date, and 2,437 just within one year. In short, thousands of these guns are getting into New York very quickly. The 30,606 figure accounted for 74 percent of the total guns recovered after crimes in the state between 2010 and 2015.

Pennsylvania’s role in the supply chain

The report indicates the presence of what’s referred to as an “iron pipeline” that sends the majority of these guns into the state. That so-called pipeline is made up of six states: Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida, with Ohio acting as another, yet less significant, supplier. Virginia was the source of the largest percentage of the guns recovered (19 percent), followed by Pennsylvania (13 percent).

What do all these states have in common? According to experts, it’s their lax laws on gun control. Pennsylvania, like most of these other states, does not require a permit to purchase a handgun. Additionally, it’s the only one of these iron pipeline states that requires background checks for private gun sales or sales at gun shows — and those checks are only for handgun purchases.

Despite Pennsylvania’s so-called lax laws, individuals accused of gun-related crimes face strict penalties if convicted. For the sound legal guidance you need when facing serious charges, consult Reading criminal defense lawyer David R. Eshelman.

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