MINNEAPOLIS – U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger, along with federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, today announced recent enforcement actions in the Twin Cities and in Rochester resulting in the arrest of multiple violent offenders as part of the federal violent crime strategy launched earlier this year.
On May 3, 2022, U.S. Attorney Luger announced a new federal violent crime strategy that expanded capacity within the U.S. Attorney’s Office to prosecute violent crime cases. Every criminal prosecutor in the office has assisted in the effort by taking on violent crime cases, including carjackings, illegal possession of firearms and/or ammunition, drug trafficking, straw purchasing, armed Hobbs Act robberies, well as cases involving the illegal possession of machineguns and ghost guns.
“Violent crime is at an all-time high and the statistics are alarming, but that is only part of the story. The nature of the violence has changed. By their actions, their weapons and their words, violent offenders are displaying an absolute disdain for the law, and a disregard for human life,” said U.S. Attorney Luger. “Criminals are engaging in an appalling level of violence, using militaristic weapons and accessories that not only change the nature of the violence, but also the resulting harm. Several recent cases and the enforcement operations we’re announcing today illustrate our violent crime strategy in action. We are making progress in our efforts to break this violent crime trend, but there is still more work to be done. We will not let up; we owe it to our communities.”
Throughout the summer, law enforcement has been working in tandem with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to identify, investigate, and bring charges against the most violent offenders. Just yesterday, a joint law enforcement operation culminated in the arrest of 15 violent offenders and the seizure of 32 illegal firearms and machineguns. All 15 defendants have been charged in federal court. This operation was led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, along with the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Marshals Service, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Violent Offender Task Force, the Minneapolis Police Department, the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office, and the St. Paul Police Department. This operation involved more than 100 federal, state, and local law enforcement officers, including out-of-state special response teams.
In addition, yesterday morning, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the Southeast Minnesota Violent Crime Enforcement Team led a separate coordinated enforcement action involving more than 60 federal, state, and local law enforcement officers to dismantle a large-scale methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy based in Rochester. The operation resulted in the arrest of 10 drug traffickers and the seizure of drugs and firearms. All 10 defendants have been charged in federal court with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
These cases are the result of joint investigations conducted by the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Marshals Service, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office, the Minneapolis Police Department, the St. Paul Police Department, the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office, the Rochester Police Department, and other law enforcement partners.
As part of the strategy to reduce violent crime, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota produced and released two public service announcements (PSA) to further the violent crime deterrence message.
Auto-Sear PSA: https://youtu.be/7IOM4JdOIRA
Violent Crime PSA: https://youtu.be/VFeHe0Yn1D4
The charges outlined are merely allegations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.