FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
AUSA VICKIE E. LEDUC or
MARCIA MURPHY at 410-209-4885
OCTOBER 25, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MARYLAND U.S. ATTORNEY’S OFFICE RELEASES 2007 CRIMINAL PROSECUTION TOTALS
Federal Criminal Prosecutions Increase in Maryland
The U.S. Attorney’s Office today announced that the total number of criminal defendants prosecuted in federal district court in Maryland increased significantly in 2007. The Department of Justice maintains records on a fiscal year basis, closing the books each September 30. Prosecutions were up by 8% in 2007, following a 4% increase in 2006.
“The total number of criminal defendants prosecuted in federal district court is one important way to evaluate our productivity, but statistics alone do not measure the impact of our cases. We will continue to work with our state and local partners to make sure that we are focusing federal resources on the right types of cases and the most dangerous criminals,” said United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein.
The federal government filed criminal charges against 796 defendants in federal district court in Maryland in 2007, up from 738 in 2006 and 708 in 2005. Prosecutions increased 12% over the past two years. Total prosecutions are up 17% since 2002, when 680 defendants were charged.
In addition, as of September 30, 2007, 520 defendants were held in custody without bail by the United States Marshals Service, an increase from 373 on September 30, 2002 and from 226 held on September 30, 1997. The detainees include criminal defendants awaiting trial, testimony or the imposition of sentence. The number of federal criminal detainees in Maryland increased 39% over the past five years and 130% over the past decade.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office also prosecutes thousands of misdemeanor crimes and traffic violations in federal magistrate court, arising from charges brought by police and military officers on federal roads and on government property. In addition, the U.S. Attorney’s Office defends the United States in civil litigation, collects debts owed to the federal government and files affirmative civil enforcement actions to recover money from contractors and health care providers that defraud the government.