Suffolk Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office

Just in time for springtime Standards of Learning (SOL) testing, Suffolk Commonwealth’s Attorney C. Phillips

Ferguson provided thousands of pencils to be distributed to Suffolk Public School elementary students.

Each pencil was an education in itself with its highly visible &uot;Exile&uot; logo.

&uot;We are pleased to provide all Suffolk elementary school students with the No. 2 pencils required for SOL testing,&uot; said Ferguson.

&uot;There are not enough words to emphasize the importance of education.

I know of few people who do not recognize the necessity of having a good education in order to take full advantage of all that our highly complex society has to offer.

Education is the key that will open doors to independence, responsibility and respect.&uot;

Ferguson said the pencils not only will help students take their SOLs, but will also help educate students about the dangers of illegal guns.

&uot;Especially today, our youth must be aware of the personal and legal consequences of gun violence,&uot; he said.

&uot;An important tool in the educational process is the Suffolk Exile Program.

Guns and schools don’t mix, ever-yet each year national statistics show that more than 40,000 students bring guns to school.&uot;

The Suffolk Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office has had the Suffolk Exile Program in place since 2001.

Targeting the illegal possession of firearms, his motto is clear, concise and easily understood:

It’s Simple…You Do the Math!

Gun + Schools = 5 Years in Prison, Gun + Drugs = 2 to 5 Years in Prison, Gun + Felon = 2 to 5 Years in Prison.

Ferguson has served as Suffolk’s Commonwealth’s Attorney for more than 25 years, and in the courtroom he’s seen how guns can ruin lives.

&uot;There are many potential sources of crime and tragedy in our society, but none parallel illegal guns in their capacity to inflict instant, lethal and irreparable harm to so many,&uot; said Ferguson.

&uot;The laws in Virginia are not focused on preventing law-abiding citizens from their right to bear arms, but are geared to preventing the possession of firearms by certain persons.

Specifically targeted are those persons that possess a firearm within a school building with the intent to use it or display it in a threatening manner,&uot; he added, &uot;those persons that simultaneously possess a firearm and illegal drugs, and those persons who possess a firearm and have a prior conviction for a felony.&uot;

Those convicted of these gun crimes will be exiled with no suspended sentence or probation, Ferguson stressed.

By

calling 1-888-LOCK-U-UP, citizens can

reclaim their neighborhoods from gun violence.

For additional information, call 923-2238.