CLEVELAND, Ohio – Federal, state and city officials gathered this morning at the Boys & Girls Club in the Slavic Village neighborhood to announce the indictment of 60 suspects on gun charges as part of a summer-long sweep dubbed "Operation Samson II."

The site of the media event was significant, said U.S. Attorney Steven Dettelbach, considering that 10 people associated with the club – a staff member, three children and six alumni -- have been killed by gunfire over the past year.

As of mid-September, shootings had claimed the lives of at least 92 people from Cuyahoga County this year -- half from Cleveland.

"Today is not the end of our effort but is part of an ongoing effort," Dettelbach said. "People who are carrying illegal firearms need to understand that there are going to be grave consequences when they are caught."

Also present at the announcement were Mayor Frank Jackson, Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Timothy J. McGinty, Police Chief Calvin Williams, U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott, and Todd Jones, director of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Of the 60 people arrested, 42 were indicted in federal court and 18 were indicted in state court. Charges included engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license, being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, possession of unregistered firearms that have been modified, possession and sale of firearms with obliterated serial numbers, and related drug counts.

One of those indicted was Juan Davis, 25, of Cleveland, who is accused of selling five pistols and rifles in August without a firearms dealer license.

In July, police and federal agents arrested Jesse Pawlak, 32, of Parma, who possessed an AK-47 rifle and two pistols despite prior convictions for drug trafficking and burglary.

And three men were charged in a six-count indictment with selling firearms without a license. Gilberto Torres, 33, Juan Hernandez, 23, both of Cleveland, and Antonio Turner, 33, of Shaker Heights, all had prior felony convictions. Hernandez is also charged with selling a pistol with an obliterated serial number.

"The gun trade and the drug trade go hand-in-hand," McGinty said. " You don't see one without the other. By taking them off the street now you are preventing future crimes."

Operation Samson II also resulted in the seizure of 110 firearms. The enhanced enforcement initiative targeted the criminal possession of guns, and the use and sale of guns in the Cleveland area obtained via street sales, burglaries, straw purchases and buys from illegal dealers, Dettelbach said.

The enforcement effort was organized around three operational groups:

The first used undercover operations to investigate people known to criminally possess, use and sell firearms, as well as people possessing firearms while conducting drug activities.

The second group, referred to as the "Follow the Gun Group," used firearms trace data and ballistics information from the National Ballistics Information Network to pursue leads related to firearms that have been diverted from legal commerce to criminal use.

The third group involved ATF Industry Operations conducting inspections at Cleveland-area federal firearms licensees to ensure that dealers are selling firearms in accordance with federal law and regulations.

This initiative was a cooperative effort between ATF, Cleveland Police Department, the Ohio Adult Parole Authority, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Attorney's Office and the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office.

"Gun violence in Cleveland is often the result of guns in the hands of felons who do not have the right to have a gun," Mayor Jackson said. "I'd like to thank ATF for working with our Cleveland police this year to take a significant number of these illegal firearms off our streets."