Federal Major Crimes

The Federal Major Crimes Section (“FMC") mission is threefold: (1) to handle faster-paced, arrest-generated cases, (2) to prosecute a myriad of federal criminal statutes, and (3) to provide extensive training to attorneys in federal practice.  FMC handles a wide variety of cases, including but not limited to: (1) firearms offenses, (2) narcotics offenses, (3) kidnappings and carjackings, (4) Hobbs Act robberies, (5) bank robberies, (6) frauds, (7) interstate threats and threats against public officials, (8) child exploitation/pornography, (9) human trafficking, (10) immigration and passport/visa offenses, and (11) other similar offenses. FMC is also responsible for prosecuting the majority of civil disturbances and criminal violations that involve the seat of government in our nation's capital, including:  destruction of federal property on or around the National Mall, interfering with the orderly conduct of government business, assaults on federal law enforcement personnel, and criminal conduct that occurs on the grounds of the White House, the U.S. Capitol Building, the Supreme Court, or other federal property.

FMC AUSA(s) are responsible for coordinating with arresting law enforcement agencies and the United States Marshals Service, evaluating Felon in Possession (“FIP") arrests and other arrest-generated cases for prosecution, drafting complaints and affidavits upon arrest, drafting search warrants, reviewing relevant body-worn camera footage, presenting cases to the federal grand jury, returning indictments to the Magistrate Judge, assisting with initial appearances and detention hearings, providing discovery, prosecuting cases through trial or resolution, and sentencing in support of arrest-generated cases and other cases within FMC's areas of responsibility.  

The Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Unit (“CEHT") is a specialized entity within FMC. This Unit handles investigations and prosecutions of federal sex offenses, such as the production, distribution, and receipt of child pornography. CEHT also prosecutes human trafficking offenses, including sex trafficking of minors and adults. In appropriate cases, CEHT also handles matters that include D.C. Code sex offense charges incorporated into federal cases.