Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking Section
David Henek, Chief
Kim Nielsen, Deputy Chief
The Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking Section's (“VCNT") mission is to disrupt and dismantle our district's most serious drivers of violence and large-scale firearms and drug trafficking. VCNT places an emphasis on proactive, intelligence-driven, long- and medium-term criminal investigations, and our prosecutions focus on violent and armed crews and conspiracies, collective conduct, and repeat offenders. VCNT's prosecutions target everything from criminal street gangs to international cartels and span a broad range of subjects and statutes, from firearms and narcotics conspiracies, interstate robbery conspiracies, and RICO and VICAR prosecutions, to darknet drug trafficking and money laundering, Continuing Criminal Enterprises, and Title III wiretap investigations. VCNT AUSAs regularly advise, strategize, and coordinate with law enforcement agencies on investigative steps and sequencing; draft search warrants and other legal process; present cases to the federal grand jury; brief and handle detention hearings and other hearings in court; and take cases to trial.