Why Would Local Cases Be Prosecuted In Federal Court?
Although state laws such as 10-20-Life have strengthened sentences for gun violence crimes, in some cases federal penalties are much more severe. One example is the crime of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Under federal law, the average sentence may be almost double the sentence received in state court. Among other benefits to prosecuting the case federally are quicker case resolution and incarceration in other distant states upon conviction; this places the criminal in an environment far removed from friends and familiar surroundings and may serve as a further deterrent to crime. Pictured at right: State Attorney Norm Wolfinger discusses the transfer of a group of bank robbers to U.S. Marshals’ custody. The four men might have been familiar with the local jail system, but they are on a new, intimidating trip to a federal holding facility now. Does It Have To Be A Violent Crime? No. In a recent case, a driver was stopped by an officer for having illegal tint on his car wi
