Gun Crimes Spiked In 2017 In Northeast Ohio

CLEVELAND, OH — In early December, federal agents and Canton Police arrested 11 people for trafficking firearms and selling a machine gun. One of the sellers, a convicted felon, was charged for selling a 32-caliber revolver, two Mossberg 12-gauge shotguns, a Glock .40-caliber pistol, a Marlin .22-caliber rifle, a Rossi 20-gauge shotgun and a Kel-Tec 5.56 mm pistol.

Another major bust came in October 2017 when a 31-year-old Ravenna man was arrested for having 1,300 rounds of ammunition and eight guns. The Ravenna man had previously been convicted of domestic violence.

Those busts helped cap off a busy year for law enforcement in the Northern District of Ohio.

Gun related crimes hit a four-year high in 2017 in the region. The U.S. Attorney's Office said there were 202 firearm-related incidents in Northeast Ohio last year, the highest number since 2013 and the third highest number in the past decade.

“Firearms prosecutions are homicide prevention,” U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman said. “We will continue to work with our federal law enforcement partners, local police and county prosecutors to identify those who use firearms in violent crimes or drug trafficking crimes, or possess firearms illegally, and seek the prison sentences they deserve.”

Many of the firearms-related crimes came from the Cleveland area, which recorded 116 indictments. Akron had 35 indictments, Youngstown 27 and Toledo 24. The average sentence for a Northeast Ohio firearms offender is nine years, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

Over the past five years, gun crimes had been steadily dropping since 2013. Then 2017 happened.

• 2017: 202
• 2016: 105
• 2015: 126
• 2014: 167
• 2013: 207

Why do you think gun-related crimes increased so much last year? Tell us in the comments below.

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