Criminal Gang Laws

There are serious problems with gangs and gang related activities in New Hanover County, as well as the rest of North Carolina. At the request of the City of Wilmington, I filed House Bill 633, entitled Strengthen Criminal Gang Laws. Among others, I worked with Representative Allen McNeill (former Deputy Sheriff); Representative John Faircloth (former Police Chief); the NC Gang Investigators Association and the Conference of District Attorneys.

The Bill, which passed the House with bipartisan support yesterday, will revise the Criminal Gang Nuisance Abatement Act; revise the Criminal Gang Suppression Act; increase penalties for use of a firearm in either criminal gang activity or a felony; and increase the penalty for possession of a firearm by a felon.

We must protect our law abiding citizens, and the provisions of this legislation will help to give law enforcement the tools that they need to do so.