FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACTAUSA VICKIE E. LEDUC or MARCIA MURPHY at 410-209-4885

MARCH 7, 2007

U.S. ATTORNEY’S OFFICE CO-SPONSORS GANG CONFERENCE FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE PERSONNEL

Conference Hosted by Mid-Atlantic Regional Gang Investigators Network, MAGLOCLEN and U.S. Attorney’s Office

BALTIMORE, Maryland - The Mid-Atlantic Regional Gang Investigators Network (MARGIN), Mid-Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime Law Enforcement Network (MAGLOCLEN), along with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, are hosting an annual gang conference for law enforcement and criminal justice personnel. The conference is part of the continuing effort to fight gang activity in Maryland and throughout the region.

The conference offers training for law enforcement in recognizing, investigating and combating gang-related crimes. Almost 300 law enforcement and criminal justice personnel from the Mid-Atlantic region will be attending the two-day conference in Gaithersburg, Maryland, including attendees from as far as New York and Kentucky.

U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein said, “Coordinated and comprehensive strategies are essential to deter gang violence. Law enforcement agencies need to share information and employ the best strategies to combat gangs and gang-related crime.”

Expected to speak at tomorrow’s opening ceremonies are U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski; Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler; Baltimore City State’s Attorney Patricia Jessamy; Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy; Chief Kathy Lanier of the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police Department; Chief Mary Ann Viverette of the Gaithersburg Police Department; and Director of Constituent Services for U.S. Representative Christopher Van Hollen, Lillian Cruz. U.S. Attorney Rod Rosenstein will give the keynote address. The remarks are not open to the public, but the speakers will be available for interviews.

On June 1, 2006, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, in consultation with their state and local partners, held a statewide Gang Summit, which helped identify the gang problem in Maryland, and focused on prevention, intervention and suppression strategies. On December 20, 2006, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced awards of more than $1.5 million to local jurisdictions and organizations in Maryland to combat gangs and gang violence in local neighborhoods, communities and schools. Programs throughout the state received funding for prevention, intervention and suppression strategies.

Future plans include additional training opportunities geared to gang prevention and intervention.