Ballistics testing, federal partnership could clear Nelson County cases
The Nelson County Sheriff's Department is partnering with federal agents in hopes of solving cases. And, it all starts with a single shot.
The Nelson County Sheriff's Department is partnering with federal agents in hopes of solving cases. And, it all starts with a single shot.
The Nelson County Sheriff's Department is partnering with federal agents in hopes of solving cases. And, it all starts with a single shot.
The evidence room at the Nelson County Sheriff's Office contains hundreds of guns. They were being sent to the state police lab, but with a backlog, testing was taking a while.
Sheriff Ramon Pineiroa said Friday that is no longer the case.
"The reports we get are like boom boom boom. They're coming right back to you, it's phenomenal," Pineiroa said.
Earlier this month, the department became the latest to partner with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and be a part of the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network.
Guns are fired and ballistics are entered into a nationwide database with hopes of linking them to other crimes and clearing cases. Within the first 48 hours, Special Agent Cassandra Mullins with the ATF said they got a match.
"One firearm, in particular, was linked to a shooting in Lexington and Louisville that now we have information to go with," Mullins said.
After each round is fired, she told WLKY, it creates a unique mark on the casing, almost like a fingerprint. It means, that if there is a match it would be easy to find it.
"That's why (National Integrated Ballistic Information Network) is so important because it helps us connect those dots," she said.
While multiple matches have been made after testing just a handful of guns, the sheriff is optimistic there will be more.
"We're looking at different and old cases and investigating a little bit more. Digging a little bit deeper," Pineiroa said.
"Anytime there's a victim out there that we can bring justice to, that's what it's all about at the end of the day," Mullins said of their combined efforts.
Mullins said more law enforcement agencies are beginning to use the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network. Two years ago, there were 1,000 submissions. More recently, that number was 10,000.