According to this release federal law enforcement separated their investigations by neighborhoods or territories. Police targeted a certain section of the city that includes a couple blocks or street corners, which they likely identified by following the buyers. Once they had the area in their sights law enforcement set up shop and began gathering evidence they ultimately needed to bring to federal prosecutors and then the grand jury. In this past release the U.S. Attorney’s Office revealed the investigations into four separate locations across the city. The first investigation in East Baltimore produced 25 arrests in total, with 10 being charged with illegal firearm possession by a prohibited person. A person can be prohibited for a number of reasons including prior felony convictions or even prior misdemeanor convictions. A separate West Baltimore investigation produced six drug distribution and firearm arrests, including one charge for possession of an illegal fully automatic firearm. In Southwest Baltimore another 38 defendants were charged for their involvement in a drug trafficking ring that had ties to Virginia, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Finally, a Northwest Baltimore investigation produced 21 arrests for distribution of fentanyl and crack cocaine, and possession of firearms.
Each of these individual investigations falls under the umbrella initiative called Project Safe Neighborhoods or PSN, which is the federal government’s key crime reduction component in Baltimore. In the first half of 2019 the feds indicted 215 defendants compared to a total of 246 in the entire year of 2018. The U.S. Attorney’s Office anticipates this trend will continue and that they will charge 50% more defendants with violent crimes this year than in 2018. The top law enforcement officer in Maryland has stated repeatedly that reducing violent crime in Baltimore is priority number one, and if so the work will have to continue for years. The governor and the even the president have not been shy about their feelings about Baltimore, and this pressure is definitely felt by the law enforcement community in the city. The only way to appease the politicians and the public is to make arrests and secure convictions, but sometimes those that are not responsible for the violence become scapegoats for the actions of others.
The federal government has not shown any sign of backing down from prosecuting cases that were once left for the city to handle, and as a result defendants are facing lengthier prison sentences. Federal indictments can charge minor participants with serious felony crimes, and all of these defendants deserve experienced and skilled representation. Benjamin Herbst handles all Maryland federal and state criminal charges and is available 7 days a week for a free consultation. He has extensive experience representing defendants charged with drug distribution, conspiracy and illegal possession of a firearm, and also handles offenses that carry mandatory jail time like possession of a firearm in a drug trafficking crime. If you or a loved one is facing prosecution in any Maryland court call criminal defense lawyer Benjamin Herbst at 410-207-2598.
Resources
Maryland U.S. Attorney Announces Recent Results of Federal Efforts to Reduce Violent Crime in Baltimore, justice.gov.