Fayette County Sheriff Ronnie Stevens released a statement in regards to the recent passage of HB 5471.
Sheriff Stevens says in the statement that as the duly elected Sheriff “my job and my office are sworn, to protect the citizens of Fayette County. This is a job and responsibility that I take with the utmost seriousness.” Sheriff Stevens goes on to say in the statement that “Part of my duties that I accepted upon being sworn into office was to protect the rights provided to all of us, in the Constitution. One of the enumerated rights is the right of the people to keep and bear arms provided under the 2nd amendment.” He goes on to say that “I, among others, believe that HB 5471 is a clear violation of the 2nd Amendment to the US Constitution.” Sheriff Stevens goes on to say in the statement “Therefore, as the custodian of the jail and chief law enforcement official for Fayette County, that neither myself nor my office will be checking to ensure that lawful gun owners register their weapons with the state, nor will we be arresting or housing law abiding individuals that have been arrested solely with non-compliance of this Act.
Sheriff Stevens went on to state to Cromwell Media-Vandalia that ” It should be noted the majority of 22 Long Rifle weapons would be illegal to possess due to the capacity of 10 or more rounds of ammunition on these weapons. Also the majority of all stock pistols you buy have a capacity greater than what the 15 rounds of ammunition which is now deemed illegal. These guns have been sold for many years. I can almost guarantee that almost 50% of the law abiding Fayette County citizens have guns that will be now deemed illegal. The State of Illinois politicians need to understand that criminals that are committing these acts of violence will get the guns one way or another like they have done in the years past.”
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