SAN DIEGO San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan is advocating for more severe criminal penalties for ghost gun offenses to address the rising danger these untraceable firearms pose to public safety. Ghost gunswhich are often unserialized firearms manufactured using 3D printers or kits available onlinecontinue to threaten communities across San Diego County despite persistent law enforcement efforts to eradicate them from the streets. The issue gained attention in June 2023 when convicted felon J.C. Sartor used a ghost gun to shoot San Diego police officer James Romero in City Heights. Following this incident, Sartor was sentenced to nearly 40 years in prison for attempted murder, underscoring the immediate dangers posed by these weapons that are alarmingly accessible to potentially dangerous individuals. "Someone who is not of age to own a gun, someone who has a mental health history, someone with a criminal background can have easy access to those ghost guns," emphasized Stephan. "He doesn't have to go through any of the hurdles of getting a legal gun." Most ghost guns are created using kits purchased onlinethough shipping these kits to California is illegalor through 3D printing technology that allows individuals to create parts for later assembly. Currently, Stephan's office has prosecuted a significant number of ghost gun cases123 so far this year, many of which are tied to gang activity. "About half of our gang cases have ghost guns. That is a very large number. So about 50 last year of our gang cases had ghost guns and 28 this year," remarked Stephan. In response to the alarming trend, the San Diego Police Department established the Ghost Gun Apprehension Team in 2021 in partnership with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). This first-of-its-kind task force trains law enforcement agencies across the country and has reported measurable success: in 2021, 25% of more than 2,200 firearms recovered were ghost guns, a statistic that has declined to only 13% of the over 1,900 guns impounded in 2024. Lieutenant Dan Brinkerhoff, who leads the SDPD team, explained the challenges associated with tracing these weapons: "It is very hard to find the source of these guns because they're not serialized, there's no markings, so it's very difficult to find out who's making them or where they're coming from." He emphasized the importance of their proactive approach, stating their mission is to seek out individuals or criminal organizations involved in manufacturing, selling, or even possessing these ghost guns. Despite some progress, significant legal limitations remain in place. Currently, the mere possession or manufacture of a ghost gun is classified only as a misdemeanor. San Diego has implemented ordinances banning ghost guns at both city and county levels, in alignment with state regulations passed in 2022, making California one of the 15 states nationwide to do so. However, Stephan argues that despite these advances, there are no specific sentencing enhancements for using a ghost gun in a crime. Stephan advocated for additional measures to address the issue: "But more needs to be done to make sure that there are better laws that specifically address ghost guns." Collaborative measures between various agencies are credited for the current successes, with Brinkerhoff stating that they are removing guns from the streets almost daily and bring those responsible to justice. Law enforcement continues to combat the proliferation of ghost guns using current legislation while simultaneously advocating for stricter penalties to enhance public safety. The need for stronger regulations is paramount as ghost guns become more prevalent in criminal activity.