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GOA - A Massachusetts Police Officer Talks About How an Unpaid Traffic Ticket Could Result in a Gun Ban ... Massachusetts has sent the names of 430,000 people subject to bench warrants to NICS as "fugitives from justice" -- frequently as a result of unpaid traffic tickets
A Massachusetts Police Officer Talks About How an Unpaid Traffic Ticket Could Result in a Gun Ban | Fact Sheets
A Massachusetts Police Officer Talks About How an Unpaid Traffic Ticket Could Result in a Gun Ban | Fact Sheets
[asked a] Massachusetts police force to explain it. Here is what he told us:
Having arrested people on warrants, let me explain how it works, for parking tickets or anything else for that matter.
A parking ticket or speeding ticket or whatever is issued by a police officer. The recipient forgets about it -- due to vacation, work, family etc. -- and after a few months the issuing police department and or court realizes it is unpaid AND the defendant did not respond, i.e. they didn't plead not guilty or ask for a trial.
At this point the court issues a warrant, usually for failure to appear. When a police officer stops or encounters that person for any reason, and enters their information, name and date of birth into NCIC [National Crime Information Center], the warrant shows up. In some cases the officer does NOT know what the warrant is for and only knows which court issued it.
Regardless, the subject of the warrant is considered a fugitive from justice. (Emphasis added.)
The Department of Justice reported in 2012 that 19.1% of denials (13,862) were as a result of being a "fugitive from justice."