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Federal Law Enforcement Officials Vow To Use RICO More Against Large Gangs

By David Badertscher, PLL

Source: Crime & Justice News

"Federal law enforcement authorities have coupled

multi-agency task forces with strategies that once

focused on Mafia-era crime syndicates to target

national and international gangs, reports the

Washingon Times. Some gangs are considered

security threats, such as Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13,

with an FBI estimate of 10,000 members in 42 states.

For the first time, analysts, agents and prosecutors

from various government agencies will work together

to try to lower the rate of gang crimes, which include

homicides, drug smuggling, rape, prostitution,

robbery, home invasions, kidnappings, and

carjackings. The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt

Organizations Act (RICO) was enacted in 1970 to fight

the Mafia, allowing prosecutors to target 'not just

individual members, but leaders of the organization,'

said U.S. Attorney Rod. J. Rosenstein in Maryland,

where the law has been used against reputed

members of MS-13. Using RICO, Rosenstein

said, 'you can have a broader impact on the gang,

putting them out of business at least temporarily and,

hopefully, longer.' The task forces involved are the

Gang Squad, which prosecutes national and

international gang members; the National Gang

Intelligence Center (NGIC), which analyzes patterns

and trends; and the National Gang Targeting,

Enforcement & Coordination Center (GangTECC),

which develops cases for prosecutors."

Washington Times - http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001gt1d6KANc0cwj0DI9FJFk_ZU1oRFaxxeWJIGO9L0s48_sYmp8xZXnj9lKEVfvemO1OrwM745uAQz_HREvJABXuaYcu3RBO4mO1Pf7CBHsZP49N3Bh-qzHQ__kqQOVprC_816ZBCdNlfm4d-L-wr5a2F5JQjO4ZMOetBLfbHXqxVwQjMbeumcXdM69Eeu5SE7wxq9-RvXpJNCtuY2sjEDZQ==

Full post as published by New York Supreme Court Criminal Term Library on July 01, 2008 (boomark / email).