U.S. Attorney's Office Cracking Down On Illegal Gun Purchases

The U.S. Attorney's Office is cracking down on people who lie in order to illegally buy a gun. 6 people are being charged after trying to illegally buy guns.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement from all over Green Country have been working together to reduce violent crime through a plan called Project Safe Neighborhood.

"Felons with firearms, individuals who have domestic violence convictions with firearms that is not a recipe for success that is a recipe for trouble," said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

In order to reduce violent crime, they have been focusing on people who are committing violent crimes with guns. That is why they created their new Lie and Try Initiative.

"It is real simple, if you lie on a federal form to buy a federal firearm, then you have committed a federal felony and you will be prosecuted," said Shores.

In order to buy a gun in Oklahoma, you have to fill out a form. Shores says all six people who are being charged, lied on it.

Now all 6 are facing charges. Affidavits say five people lied on the form about having a clean record when they were actually convicted felons or had a protective order against them. The sixth person hasn't been arrested yet.

"The United States efforts on Lie and Try is in no way infringing upon the second amendment rights of law-abiding citizens,” said Shores.

Shores says the Lie and Try Initiative is one way to prevent tragedies that happen when violent criminals get their hands on a gun.

"It gives the officer some comfort to know that these type of enforcement efforts are going on, something as simple as a piece of paper and their disclosure on that piece of paper can lead to the arrest and prosecution of a felon that we don't have to deal with on the street,” said Tulsa Police Deputy Chief Eric Dalgleish.