Sheriff's Office Transports Thousands In Confiscated Guns To Frankfort

A pile of confiscated guns are sorted out by the sheriff's office today before being transported to Frankfort.

Darren Doyle, story and photos:
Members of the Edmonson County Sheriff's Office loaded up thousands of dollars worth of illegal firearms today that have been confiscated from criminal cases over the course of 15 years or more.

"All of these guns were used during the commission of a crime, present during the commission of a crime, or they were possessed by someone who wasn't legally allowed to have them," said Sheriff Shane Doyle. "Some were confiscated from drug dealers; others were used in assaults and attempted assaults. The crimes and reasons vary, but all the confiscations were results of convictions."

The guns varied in shapes and sizes like homemade handguns, 19th century shotguns, and modern hunting rifles and pistols, all of which were taken to the Kentucky State Police Forfeited Weapons Division in Frankfort where they will be sold at auction. Doyle said some would simply be destroyed while others would bring premium prices. Only licensed gun dealers are allowed to attend the auctions that are held at different times and locations throughout the state. 

Dozens of long guns were also part of the confiscated supply of guns being transported to Frankfort by the sheriff's office.

Proceeds from the auctions benefit the Law Enforcement Protection Program, which provides bullet-proof vests, pistols, rifles, tasers, body cameras, and other similar police equipment to law enforcement agencies across the state through the help of grants. Doyle said Edmonson County has been a beneficiary of the grant.

"We've received grants from this program multiple times. We've received vests, rifles, pistols, and tasers," he said. "It would be nice if we could simply sell these firearms ourselves to responsible citizens, but the law doesn't allow us to do that; however, it's still a very good program.  When its all said and done, we're still getting illegal guns away from people that can't have them and supporting a program that helps law enforcement agencies all across the state, including ours."