Sheriff Says It's Time for Law Enforcement to 'Drop the Hammer' With Gun Control — by Enforcing Laws on the Books

After a convicted felon in South Carolina was once again arrested on charges ranging from drug possession to possession of a firearm by a felon, a sheriff in South Carolina is calling for stricter gun control — but not for law-abiding gun owners.

Following the arrest of 34-year-old career criminal Leon Crosby, Kershaw County Sheriff Jim Matthews said that Crosby's arrest in his county "brings up some interesting points."

Image credit: WXLT-TV

Given the fact that Crosby was already out on bond for multiple felonies in a separate county, Matthews said he should not be released on bond in Kershaw County.

"A condition of most bonds is that the suspect not re-offend," Matthews remarked. "Crosby clearly did, so his bond in Richland County should be revoked, and he should not be released on bond in Kershaw County."

But Matthews highlighted the fact that Crosby, a convicted felon who should not be in possession of a firearm, had a gun in both of his recent arrests. Matthews said that obviously the current gun laws are not a deterrent to criminals who intend to again break the law.

"We have gun laws already on the books that address felons in possession of firearms," he said. "Those laws don’t seem to be much of a deterrent if violent felons who carry guns are not locked up when they are caught and kept in jail."

Instead of punishing law-abiding citizens with more gun control, Matthews said "the hammer" needs to be dropped on those who violate the gun laws currently in place, especially repeat offenders.

"We don’t need more gun control laws," he said. "We need to drop the hammer on those who violate the gun laws we already have in place."

Matthews is an extremely popular sheriff in South Carolina. In fact, the sheriff was named the 2014 "Sheriff of the Year" in South Carolina.

(H/T: WIS-TV)

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