Police oppose probation sentence given to buyer of gun used to kill Kerrie Orozco

[lostinblue 1,989]

Police oppose probation sentence given to buyer of gun used to kill Kerrie Orozco

The Omaha police union and Omaha’s police chief expressed their opposition to the sentence given to the buyer of the gun used to kill Omaha Police Officer Kerrie Orozco.

A federal judge in Atlanta on Monday sentenced Jalita Johnson, 26, to one year of probation for lying when she bought the gun in April. Johnson bought the Glock semi-automatic handgun, plus a 50-round drum magazine and ammunition, from a pawnshop in Jonesboro, Georgia.

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Johnson replied “yes” to a question on a form asking whether she was the actual buyer of the gun.

Prosecutors said Johnson’s boyfriend, Marcus Wheeler, a felon, gave her money and told her what to buy.

Wheeler, 26, fatally shot Orozco on May 20 when he opened fire on officers trying to arrest him.

He fired nine rounds from the handgun and struck Orozco once. Wheeler was killed when Sgt. Jeff Kopietz returned fire.

In August, Johnson pleaded guilty to providing false information to a federally licensed firearms dealer. In addition to the probation term, U.S. District Judge Eleanor L. Ross sentenced Johnson to 40 hours of community service and 180 days of house arrest.

The Omaha police union, in a posting on its Facebook page, said federal authorities “failed” by not sending Johnson to prison. Union members “cannot begin to express the amount of anger, frustration, and sadness this news brings to us,” the union said in the post on Facebook. The union added that the court could have sentenced Johnson to 10 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine, “But instead they chose to let her walk freely among the citizens.”

Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer issued a statement Wednesday morning, saying he was disappointed in the court's decision. An illegal straw purchase such as the one Johnson made “is a well-documented manner in which violent offenders obtain their firearms," he said. "Straw purchases are a link to the gun violence that has damaged our community ‘over and over’ and the court missed an opportunity to make a bold statement.”

The Omaha Police Department traced the purchase of the gun to Johnson, a resident of Jonesboro.

Agents from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives went to Johnson’s house to interview her on May 22, two days after the Omaha shootout. She first told ATF investigators that someone who had been staying with her took the gun, court documents said. Upon further questioning, court records said, Johnson admitted she bought the gun for Wheeler, her boyfriend. She said Wheeler lived out of state and visited her, but she had not talked to him in three days.

Authorities returned to Johnson’s home to record a follow-up interview on June 3. Johnson again admitted to buying the pistol, ammunition and magazine for Wheeler, court documents said.

http://www.omaha.com/news/crime/woman-who-bought-gun-used-in-kerrie-orozco-slaying-sentenced/article_dcd60ace-8716-5651-9125-cb297998694e.html

that the court could have sentenced Johnson to 10 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine, “But instead they chose to let her walk freely among the citizens.”

She should be doing 20 years herself .. You have laws on the books and liberals judges will not enforce them ...

Then killary comes along and says we need more gun laws written ..

the judge ...

Eleanor L. Ross

Eleanor L. Ross was nominated by President Barack Obama to fill a vacancy on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia on December 19, 2013. The vacancy was created when Charles Pannell took senior status. On the nominations:

“

I am honored to put forward these highly qualified candidates for the federal bench... They will be distinguished public servants and valuable additions to the United States District Courts.

http://ballotpedia.org/Eleanor_L._Ross

Edited November 7, 2015 by lostinblue

[Sousuke 1,214]

Yes preposterous that she gets such a light sentence. She should get the full 10 years.Come on Bloomberg where are you on this?

[eieio 1,594]

I am not sure about all the details of this case. Apparently she never purchased the gun knowing it would be used to kill a police officer….or anyone for that matter. She was charged with lying to authorities. I don't think that warrants a ten year sentence. The sentence was reasonable IMO.

[ready4ONE 5,400]

I thought everyone knew that anyone who can legally purchase a gun should do so. In fact is foolish not to buy not just one but a full arsenal?

Once purchased legally anything bad that happens is merely the price of liberty and water for the tree of Liberty.

[Sousuke 1,214]

I am not sure about all the details of this case. Apparently she never purchased the gun knowing it would be used to kill a police officer….or anyone for that matter. She was charged with lying to authorities. I don't think that warrants a ten year sentence. The sentence was reasonable IMO.

If someone asks you to buy them a gun and fill out the dros form you know they can't be up to anything good.

[Sousuke 1,214]

I thought everyone knew that anyone who can legally purchase a gun should do so. In fact is foolish not to buy not just one but a full arsenal?

Once purchased legally anything bad that happens is merely the price of liberty and water for the tree of Liberty.

Guess what? This wasn't a legally purchased gun.

[The Nature Boy 7,659]

Guess what? This wasn't a legally purchased gun.

Korrect o mundo. It's a straw purchase

I am not sure about all the details of this case. Apparently she never purchased the gun knowing it would be used to kill a police officer.or anyone for that matter. She was charged with lying to authorities. I don't think that warrants a ten year sentence. The sentence was reasonable IMO.

When you purchase a gun for someone else, who you know can't buy it is very illegal. They should have rung her up

[ready4ONE 5,400]

Guess what? This wasn't a legally purchased gun.

The purchaser was legally able to buy the gun. Just one of any number of problems which plague the easy access to guns made possible by the 2nd Amendment. The fact that she apparently purchased it for someone not legally able to do so is the crime but legally the purchase of the gun was made possible because she legally possessed the right to do it. The crime was after the legal purchase in my book even if she had been planning to buy it for the other person.

[Sousuke 1,214]

The purchaser was legally able to buy the gun. Just one of any number of problems which plague the easy access to guns made possible by the 2nd Amendment. The fact that she apparently purchased it for someone not legally able to do so is the crime but legally the purchase of the gun was made possible because she legally possessed the right to do it. The crime was after the legal purchase in my book even if she had been planning to buy it for the other person.

She committed the crime the minute she fraudulently filled out the federal form prior to buying the gun. The form lists the consequences for lying right on the form itself.

Edited November 9, 2015 by Sousuke

[The Nature Boy 7,659]

The purchaser was legally able to buy the gun. Just one of any number of problems which plague the easy access to guns made possible by the 2nd Amendment. The fact that she apparently purchased it for someone not legally able to do so is the crime but legally the purchase of the gun was made possible because she legally possessed the right to do it. The crime was after the legal purchase in my book even if she had been planning to buy it for the other person.

Nope. She lied before the purchase. Had she not lied, which is a felony she would not have been able to purchase it.

She broke the law. It was not a legal purchase.

[Sousuke 1,214]

Here is my argument regarding her prosecution.

With the debate regarding gun laws you often hear only the law abiding follow laws and criminals won't. Well straw purchases are the one element where people with a law abiding background commit a crime through a secondary sale. Here is a case where throwing the book at someone really can discourage future straw purchases.

[lostinblue 1,989]

Here is my argument regarding her prosecution.

With the debate regarding gun laws you often hear only the law abiding follow laws and criminals won't. Well straw purchases are the one element where people with a law abiding background commit a crime through a secondary sale. Here is a case where throwing the book at someone really can discourage future straw purchases.

That is my main point .

[eieio 1,594]

Korrect o mundo. It's a straw purchase

When you purchase a gun for someone else, who you know can't buy it is very illegal. They should have rung her up

What do you consider "rung her up"? I agree it is a crime. To me it just seems people get emotional because the officer was shot.

Now what if she had purchased the gun for her boyfriend and all he did was leave it in the dresser, near the bed ,to collect dust and provide some security at home, if ever needed.

Would you still want her "rung up"

[Sousuke 1,214]

What do you consider "rung her up"? I agree it is a crime. To me it just seems people get emotional because the officer was shot.

Now what if she had purchased the gun for her boyfriend and all he did was leave it in the dresser, near the bed ,to collect dust and provide some security at home, if ever needed.

Would you still want her "rung up"

Thats still illegal. In fact in my state, she would be required to have it in a safe or a locked box that her boyfriend could not access.

[eieio 1,594]

Thats still illegal. In fact in my state, she would be required to have it in a safe or a locked box that her boyfriend could not access.

I know it is illegal. What is the average sentence given to people who purchase a gun illegally? Lets just say in this case, she had a clean record prior to the purchase.