Baltimore EXILE Partners Announce 60% Increase
in Violent Defendants Charged Federally Since 2005

Program Will Enhance Focus on Violent Gangs and Witness Intimidation in 2008

Baltimore, Maryland - Leaders of the local, state and federal agency partners implementing the Baltimore EXILE strategy held a meeting today to discuss their progress and recognize the second anniversary of the program.

“Criminals are getting the message that gun crime equals jail time and armed repeat offenders are at the top of our list,” said United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein. “Baltimore EXILE is working to reduce gun crime because it is a unified and comprehensive strategy to send armed criminals to jail and deter others from following in their footsteps. This year, we will enhance our efforts to combat violent gangs and witness intimidation and devote additional resources to fugitive apprehension.”

“I appreciate the enthusiasm and dedication of our local, state and federal law enforcement partners. We are committed to many initiatives that have resulted in the successful prosecutions outlined today. We will continue to work very hard using every tool in our toolbox to achieve the best possible public safety results for our citizens,” said Baltimore City State’s Attorney Patricia C. Jessamy.

Gregory K. Gant, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Baltimore Field Division stated, “The increase in defendants charged in 2007 is an indication of the Baltimore EXILE partners’ continued commitment to this worthwhile program. Baltimore EXILE benefits the citizens of our communities by taking violent repeat offenders off the streets for a very long time.”

Baltimore EXILE is a unified and comprehensive strategy to combat gun crime initiated in 2006 by the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office, the Baltimore Police Department, the Maryland Division of Parole and Probation, the Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Marshals Service, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The program combines law enforcement efforts, community action and revitalization, and public awareness. Details are available on the internet at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/md/Exile/index.html.

Federal Indictments
During 2007, 197 Baltimore EXILE defendants were charged with federal crimes. Approximately 58% of those cases were based on referrals from the State's Attorney's FIVE Unit. Many of the other cases were the result of proactive investigations, including leads generated under EXILE's Violent Repeat Offender initiative. Many of the cases involved local gun arrests that resulted in lengthy federal prison sentences.

The 2007 total represents a 30% increase over the number of Baltimore EXILE offenders charged in federal court in 2006, when 151 defendants were charged. In 2005, before the EXILE strategy was adopted, federal gun charges were filed against 123 Baltimore City defendants, resulting in a total increase of 60% since the program went into effect.

“FLIP” Letters
In addition to the federal indictments, a total of 36 Federal Letters of Intent to Prosecute, known as “FLIP letters,” were utilized in 2007. FLIP letters are written by federal prosecutors to notify certain defendants with pending state gun charges that the evidence in their cases has been reviewed by ATF agents and federal prosecutors and that federal charges will be filed if their cases are not resolved in state court.

Of the 36 defendants given FLIP letters in 2007, 28 defendants – or 77% – pleaded guilty to state charges carrying at least a mandatory five-year sentence. Defendants who rejected the state pleas were indicted in federal court.

Combined with the 197 defendants charged federally in Baltimore EXILE cases, federal prosecutors handled a total of 225 violent crime defendants in 2007. Compared to 2005, before the FLIP program began, federal prosecutors saw a increase of over 80% in the number of violent crime cases handled.

Violent Repeat Offenders
The second year of the Baltimore EXILE program also was marked by proactive efforts to take some of Baltimore’s most violent repeat offenders off the streets. Under Baltimore EXILE’s Violent Repeat Offender (VRO) initiative, representatives of the Division of Parole and Probation of the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, the United States Probation Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the High Intensity Drug- Trafficking Area Task Force (HIDTA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), ATF, BPD, the SAO, and the USAO meet regularly to identify some of the most violent individuals in the city – individuals who belong to violent gangs or organizations operating in Baltimore and individuals who have been charged with, or have been suspects in, shootings and murders.

Some VRO targets have pending state gun, drug, or violent crime cases. Many are in violation of their parole or probation. Others have no pending charges but have lengthy and disturbing criminal histories. The VRO team determines the most effective strategy for arresting and detaining each criminal – including violations of parole or probation, aggressive prosecution of pending state or federal charges, or proactive investigations – and monitors the status of each pending case or investigation.

More than 50 VROs have been identified and pursued since the program began in early 2006. Of those, 37 have been detained or are facing pending charges, as follows:
• four have been detained pursuant to revocations of parole or probation;
• six have been detained following convictions in state court;
• 21 have been detained based on newly filed federal charges; and
• six have pending felony charges in state court.

Other VROs are the subjects of ongoing investigations.

“Exiled” Defendants
During 2007, many defendants were sentenced to lengthy terms of imprisonment for firearms possession or related drug offenses in Baltimore City and have been sent to, or are awaiting designation to, federal prison facilities outside of Maryland to serve their sentences. Some examples of those defendants follow. Press releases relating to each case can be found on the internet at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/md:

Fugitive Apprehension
Under the leadership of BPD and the Marshals Service, and with the assistance of other agencies, additional resources were directed to apprehending fugitives wanted on state and federal charges in Baltimore in 2007.

Training
Throughout 2007, USAO and SAO prosecutors and ATF agents and BPD task force officers provided legal instruction during the BPD’s weekly inservice training. Specialized instruction is also being provided on search warrants and other topics.

Outreach/Media
The Baltimore EXILE program continued an extensive outreach and media campaign including bus billboards, radio public service announcements, and posters advertising lengthy federal sentences received by particular defendants.

Officer Recognition
At today’s meeting, Baltimore EXILE Achievement Awards were presented to 28 Baltimore City police officers, 14 federal agents and three local and federal prosecutors whose outstanding work resulted in significant firearms or violent crime cases. Awards were presented by U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein, Baltimore City State’s Attorney Patricia Jessamy, Baltimore Police Commissioner Frederick H. Bealefeld III, ATF Special Agent in Charge Gregory Gant, DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Carl Kotowski, and FBI Special Agent in Charge William Chase. A list of award recipients is attached.