Comments on: MPD Offers Up To $1000 Reward if You Tip Them to an Illegal Gun

By: Early Times

Early Times — Thu, 31 May 2012 20:28:00 +0000

This sounds like a great opportunity for a part-time gig. Just need to take a minute or two to work out the cost-benefit analysis.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 31 May 2012 19:59:31 +0000

How about a tip I we report a loaded teen ready to break a jaw? Seems like that is almost worse around here than all the gun related homicides and crimes.

By: oink

oink — Thu, 31 May 2012 18:17:46 +0000

Pursuant to D.C. Official Code § 7-2507.06, any person who violates certain provisions of Firearms Control Regulations Act, as amended, shall, upon conviction, be fined not more than $1,000 or be imprisoned for not more than one year, or both, except that:

A person who knowingly or intentionally sells, transfers, or distributes a firearm, destructive device, or ammunition to a person under 18 years of age shall be fined not more than $ 10,000 or imprisoned for not more than 10 years, or both.

(A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B) of this paragraph, any person who is convicted a second time for possessing an unregistered firearm shall be fined not more than $ 5,000 or imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.

(B) A person who in the person’s dwelling place, place of business, or on other land possessed by the person, possesses a pistol, or firearm that could otherwise be registered, shall be fined not more than $ 1,000 or imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both.

A person convicted of knowingly possessing restricted pistol bullets in violation of § 7-2506.01(3) may be sentenced to imprisonment for a term not to exceed 10 years and shall be sentenced to imprisonment for a mandatory-minimum term of not less than 1 year and shall not be released from prison or granted probation or suspension of sentence prior to serving the mandatory-minimum sentence, and, in addition, may be fined an amount not to exceed $ 10,000.
Additional penalties may apply.

By: jcm

jcm — Thu, 31 May 2012 18:12:21 +0000

How much do guns cost? Because I’d be happy to stash one in my crackhead neighbor’s yard and then report it.

By: anonymous

anonymous — Thu, 31 May 2012 18:07:27 +0000

I could easily see this leading to problems with people calling on others they “don’t like” or just want to hassle. I could also see this being used as an excuse for the police to harass law-abiding gun owners especially when the “tipster” had no idea the person had the right to own the gun in the first place. Finally, I could definitely see someone trying to game the system to collect on the reward.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 31 May 2012 17:59:18 +0000

“Otherwise you could call the cops on just about anybody you don’t like.”

This actually happened to a friend of mine. A vindictive ex-girlfriend called the police and told them he had an illegal weapon (he did not). He was arrested and his apartment was ransacked, and he lost his job because he was stuck in jail and couldn’t make it to work that day. Not a good system!

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 31 May 2012 17:58:37 +0000

I just bought an illegal gun, and I called a tip on myself! If all goes according to plan I’ll make a cool $500.

what is the punishment for having an illegal gun?

By: kenyondweller

kenyondweller — Thu, 31 May 2012 17:53:56 +0000

Presumably the tip would lead to an investigation that would follow standard protocols. It seems unlikely to me that a judge would issue a search warrant based on an anonymous tip alone.

By: Thor

Thor — Thu, 31 May 2012 17:46:39 +0000

How would this work? Let’s say you call the number and say such and such has an illegal gun and he lives at this address. And how do I know that? Well… I was at his house this morning and he personally showed me the gun and said that he bought it from someone on the street. How do the police decide whether to search the house or not? Otherwise you could call the cops on just about anybody you don’t like.