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OGDEN, Utah (AP) -- Some domestic-violence offenders can lose their gun-ownership rights for life under federal law and a Utah federal prosecutor urged police to send such cases his way.
"I'm not antigun, I'm anti-gun violence. I'm a hard-core prosecutor of those who have no business owning guns or ammunition," John Huber, a special assistant U.S. attorney, told a recent Weber County law-enforcement training session.
"I love the look on these DV (domestic violence) guys' faces when we tell them a misdemeanor DV conviction can ban you from gun ownership for the rest of your life -- even for the deer hunt," Huber said.
Federal law also makes it illegal for someone to be in possession of a firearm while they are the target of a protective order.
"We want more of these cases. We're not getting enough," he said, asking that police get their domestic violence cases with guns moved from state court to federal court, where the sentence can be prison instead of jail time.
(Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
