The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Michigan, led by Mark Totten, announced that Kalamazoo local George William Henry has been sentenced to 106 months in federal prison. He was convicted of gun and drug felonies, including being a felon in possession of firearms and possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. These charges come under the umbrella of the Safe Summer program - an effort launched to crack down on gun-related violence by prosecuting those with firearms previously used in crimes.
George Henry, 48, found himself entangled in the criminal justice system once more when, on January 25, 2023, officers uncovered an assortment of weapons at his residence, including an assault rifle fitted with a bump stock and high-capacity drum magazine, a Taurus 9mm handgun, and cocaine ready for distribution. With a history of related convictions, Henry's case was a fit for Safe Summer's objectives, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Michigan.
"Our Safe Summer program is one tool to make this right a reality. This program keeps us focused on those few individuals – like George Henry – who are driving violence in our communities," U.S. Attorney Mark Totten stated, underscoring the initiative's focus on habitual offenders. In a plea agreement, while some charges were dismissed, the court could contemplate Henry's conduct, including another gun linked to a Kalamazoo homicide earlier in the year, when determining his sentence, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Michigan.
Further cementing his pattern of recidivism, during a stop on November 4, 2023, authorities found Henry in possession of a Sig Sauer 9mm handgun, which, along with a quantity of drugs, was linked via NIBIN to two local shootings that year. This series of events, as detailed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, showcase the sort of systemic gun violence the Safe Summer program aims to combat, particularly as gun-related deaths remain a pressing concern, having peaked in recent years as a leading cause of mortality among American children.
Lastly, it's important to note the racial disparity evident in the epidemic of gun violence, with data pointing out its heavier toll on communities of color. With operational support from federal to local levels, Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) functions as a foundational part of the overarching strategy to alleviate the threat that firearms pose in the everyday lives of citizens.
