U.S. Attorney Announces “Federal Initiative For The Tenderloin” A New Federal Law Enforcement Partnership To Address Crime In San Francisco’s Tenderloin District

SAN FRANCISCO – In his first press conference since being sworn in as the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California, the Honorable David L. Anderson announced a new federal initiative to address crime in San Francisco’s Tenderloin District.  The program, called the Federal Initiative for the Tenderloin, brings together the resources of more than 15 federal law enforcement agencies to combat endemic drug trafficking, firearms offenses, robberies, and other crime in the neighborhood.  At today’s press conference, U.S. Attorney Anderson also announced charges against 32 individuals as the first steps in implementing the new program.

Since being sworn in on January 15, 2019, U.S. Attorney Anderson has been the lead law-enforcement officer in the Northern District of California.  At today’s press conference, he was flanked by 13 law-enforcement partners including representatives from such agencies as the U.S. Marshal Service; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The full list of federal participants is below.  Each partnering agency has pledged resources to investigate federal crime in the Tenderloin neighborhood, as well as to prioritize investigations and support the resulting prosecutions that follow.  For his part, U.S. Attorney Anderson announced that his office will devote 15 Assistant United States Attorneys (“AUSAs”) to the initiative.  

The Tenderloin neighborhood encompasses about 50 square blocks of downtown San Francisco.  Generally, it is bounded on the north by Geary Street, on the east by Powell Street, on the south by Mission Street, and on the west by Van Ness Avenue.  U.S. Attorney Anderson described the Tenderloin as ethnically, socially, and racially diverse; relatively more affordable than other neighborhoods in San Francisco; and having one of the highest concentrations of school-aged children in San Francisco according to published reports.  These attributes, argued U.S. Attorney Anderson, make for a wonderful neighborhood being “smothered by lawlessness.”  “Innocent residents, commuters, tourists, and persons with business in one of the four major federal buildings in the Tenderloin should not be required to run a gauntlet of crime,” said U.S. Attorney Anderson.     

During the press conference, U.S. Attorney Anderson also described some of the parameters of the initiative.  The initiative will prioritize federal charges for criminal misconduct with a nexus to the Tenderloin including drug trafficking, firearms offenses, escape, Hobbs Act robberies, false passports and visas, postal crimes, crimes on federal land, human trafficking, identity theft, and benefits fraud.  The initiative will not be directed against innocent homelessness.  The initiative will not be focused on drug use or possession without distribution.  The initiative will persist for a minimum of one year.  

“The Tenderloin neighborhood deserves the benefits of the rule of law every bit as much as other neighborhoods in this city.” U.S. Attorney Anderson said.  

U.S. Attorney Anderson also announced the existence of a number of law enforcement actions that already have taken place in connection with his plan.  The cases include the following:

Separate press releases for these cases can be found here:

• Thirteen Defendants Charged In Cross-Bay Drug Trafficking Conspiracy
• Nine Defendants Charged In International Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

“Today,” U.S. Attorney Anderson announced, “we announce the unsealing of ten cases.  So far, there have been 32 individuals charged with more to come. While making no promises about the number or types of cases to be brought or the specific outcomes to be achieved, I can say that we intend to devote substantial federal resources over an extended period of time toward this initiative and the neighborhood that it will serve.”

PARTICIPANT REPRESENTATIVES

David L. Anderson, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California 
Chris Nielsen, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration 
Jay Bieber, Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal 
Jennifer Cicolani, Assistant Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives 
Scott Schelble, Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation 
Tatum King, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations 
Timothy McHugh, Deputy Regional Director, Federal Protective Service 
Thomas Edwards, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Secret Service 
Mike Sena, Director, Northern California High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area/Northern California Regional Intelligence Center 
Kareem Carter, Special Agent In Charge, Oakland Field Office, U.S Internal Revenue Service- Criminal Investigation 
Steve Ryan, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General 
Don Hoang, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Forest Service 
Richard Sheehan, Assistant Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service 
Julie Ryer, Special Agent, U.S. Food and Drug Administration 
Garrett Shore, Special Agent, U.S. Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General