Number of defendants charged with felon in possession of weapon doubles since 2018
HOUSTON - We have thousands of convicted felons walking around Harris County armed with guns.
Who allowed that to happen? Harris County criminal district court judges.
"It's disturbing how many are out here that we know are carrying guns that shouldn't be allowed to be," said Andy Kahan with Crime Stoppers.
Convicted felons who want to do the right thing aren't going to have a gun, because it's against the law. Yet convicted felons are arming themselves in Harris County at an alarming rate.
"Since 2018, our felon in possession of a weapon charges have doubled if you're looking at 2018 versus 2021," said Sydney Zuiker, Director of Safe Community Institute Crime Stoppers. "When you look at the cases filed in 2022, we're on track to outpace 2021 by a few hundred cases filed."
"I think it's par for the course, looking at what happened in 2018 until now, you have the same program in place. Criminals have been empowered, they've been emboldened," said David Cuevas, President of Harris County Deputies Organization. "Crime is on the rise and it's not going anywhere as long as the same system is in place. You have weak politicians who aren't going to hold anyone accountable, you can expect these numbers."
"In June, we had over 60 defendants, who were given a get out of jail PR bond, despite being charged with felon in possession of a weapon, a gun back out in the community," Kahn said.
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When criminal district court judges grant cash bonds to defendants charged with felon in possession of a weapon, it's usually under $10,000.
"Someone who has already proven that they are not a law-abiding citizen, who then has a weapon a gun unlawfully, that situation can turn deadly really fast," Zuiker said.
"It's the ongoing crime epidemic, if you will, that these judges aren't holding anyone accountable," Cuevas said. "They're going to keep releasing these criminals, because they're quote, unquote the victim."