8

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This office has made gang-related violence a priority.  Gangs are a serious problem in Montgomery County, but State’s Attorney McCarthy has made significant progress against them by establishing an organized protocol for dealing with these cases.  The Gang Prosecution Unit handles all gang-related cases from start to finish – no matter how serious or trivial the offense, no matter how young or old the offender.  This specialized unit works closely with other agencies to identify gang cases and take them from charging through trial to sentencing.  It focuses on prevention and intervention.

The Gang Prosecution Unit handles not just violent crime, but all cases in which a known gang member has been charged.  The unit handled 377 cases in 2008, ranging from telephone misuse to homicide.  Team members prosecuted 137 of those cases in Circuit Court, 171 in District Court, and 69 in Juvenile Court.  Fourteen cases involved female defendants, and the remaining 363 prosecutions involved males.  Of the six geographic police districts, the most prosecutions came out of the third district (Silver Spring – 115 cases), and the fewest derived from the first district (Rockville – 24 cases).     

The State of Maryland defines a criminal gang as

a group or ongoing association of three or more persons whose members:

(1) individually or collectively engage in a pattern of criminal gang activity;

(2) have as one of their primary objectives or activities the commission of one or more underlying crimes, including acts by juveniles that would be underlying crimes if committed by adults; and

(3) have in common an identifying sign, symbol, name, leader, or purpose.

 

Criminal Law Article §9-801(c).  In 2008, the Gang Prosecution Unit handled cases involving 52 different gangs or sub-gangs.  Together, those gangs comprise approximately 1,150 members.  The gangs with the most cases against them in 2008 were MS13 (75 cases), Bloods (68 cases), and 88 Crush Mob (45 cases).  Gangs in Montgomery County are not juvenile-specific; the average age of gang members is 18.3. 

A crucial component of the Gang Prosecution Unit’s success is its partnership with other organizations.  The unit has worked closely with federal agencies, including the FBI, ATF, and the Office of the U.S. Attorney.  This office also has been instrumental in bringing together Maryland and California law-enforcement agencies to share gang-related news and ideas.  On the state level, the SAO has pushed for anti-gang legislation and the creation of the Maryland Gang Prosecution Network.  This network makes court transcripts available to prosecutors in other counties to help them fight gangs in their area. 

Locally, prosecutors have joined members of Health and Human Services’ Street Outreach Network, the Montgomery County Police Department, and the Department of Juvenile Services in a Gang Awareness partnership.  This partnership coordinates local resources and education on gang-related issues.  Deputy Team Leader Jeffrey Wennar and Investigator Ed Day also meet weekly with the Montgomery County Police Department to discuss gang trends.  This relationship ensures that prosecutors can approach each crime knowing that they are as up-to-date as possible.  On June 1, 2009, Victor DelPino became the first Hispanic person appointed to lead a team in the history of the State’s Attorney’s Office.