New York City strikes landmark gun sales deal
The city filed the suit against the 15 gun dealers from five states in U.S. federal court in May after it launched an undercover sting operation that found dealers allowed convicted felons to buy guns through surrogates.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg said on Monday that A-1 Jewelry and Pawn, Inc. of Augusta, Georgia, and AAA Gun & Pawn Brokers of Hephzibah, Georgia, had agreed to the deal that also creates a penalty structure with fines up to $5,000.
He said New York City will appoint a "Special Master" to ensure that each dealer is in full compliance with all laws regulating the sales and purchase of firearms.
"The landmark agreement reached today sends a message that the reckless sale of firearms will not be tolerated," Bloomberg said in a statement.
"With increased monitoring and accountability, we'll make sure that these guns don't end up on New York City streets. These two gun dealers have stepped up and done the right thing to ensure that their guns don't fall into criminal hands."
The other dealers named in the lawsuit are from Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Virginia. Officials said they were targeted because of the large number of guns traced back to them following crimes committed in New York City.
Bloomberg has chastised lawmakers for not tightening gun-control laws, and has blamed the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) for not enforcing existing laws.
The suit asks the U.S. federal court to halt illegal gun sales by the dealers, appoint a special officer to monitor the dealers and require them to submit to mandatory training.
Federal law bans gun dealers from selling when they suspect the gun is not for the person purporting to be the buyer.
In 2004, 92 percent of guns used in New York City came from out of state.