Week of January 4, 2010
Colorado Springs Police Department responded to a shooting at a residence where the victim sustained multiple gunshot wounds. Later that same month, New York City Police Department (NYPD) conducted a traffic stop and arrested three men for unlawful possession of one .40 caliber pistol and one .45 caliber pistol. One of the suspects was a Colorado resident. Using NIBIN, NYPD Crime Laboratory matched the .40 caliber pistol to the shooting incident in Colorado. In February 2009, following extradition from Colorado and a guilty plea to attempted murder, the Colorado suspect was sentenced to 16 years imprisonment.
Week of January 11, 2010
New Orleans Police Department responded to three homicide shootings and two shootings with injuries. At the shooting scenes, officers collected spent ammunition fired from 12 separate firearms. On September 20, 2001, New Orleans Police Department responded to a homicide shooting and recovered one .40 caliber pistol from the victim. Using NIBIN, New Orleans Police Department Crime Laboratory was able to link the pistol to all seven shootings. All of the shootings occurred within a New Orleans public housing development ten-block area. In response to the violence, from September 2001 to May 2003, ATF and New Orleans Police Department led a RICO investigation of the Cutt Boyz
street gang, an armed drug trafficking organization that since 1992 had been suspected of committing over 20 homicides and numerous attempted homicides within the housing development area. ATF and New Orleans Police Department executed 6 search warrants and coordinated witness testimony from more than 60 witnesses. In furtherance of the RICO prosecution, and in addition to drug trafficking and firearms crimes, Federal prosecutors charged all four murders and two attempted murders as RICO crimes. From October 26, 2004 to July 3, 2008, following guilty pleas, 10 of the 11 defendants pled guilty to RICO crimes, including two defendants that pled guilty to multiple murders and were sentenced to life imprisonment without parole and three defendants that pled guilty to participating in murder and attempted murder and were sentenced to 25 years imprisonment. The 11th defendant was convicted at trial of all RICO crimes charged against him, including murder and attempted murder, and was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole.
Week of January 18, 2010
On December 18, 2006, Laredo (TX) Police Department responded to a homicide on a public street where the victim sustained fatal gunshot wounds. Subsequent investigation revealed that two Los Zetas Mexico based drug cartel-hired gunmen committed the murder. Laredo PD arrested both suspects and they are currently awaiting trial. On December 24, 2006, Jim Hogg County (TX) Sheriff’s Department stopped a Los Zetas-connected vehicle transporting 118 lbs. of marijuana from Mexico to Texas. Deputies arrested the occupants, including one occupant who possessed a 9mm pistol to protect the drug supply. Subsequently, ATF arrested the possessor, an illegal alien, for Federal firearms violations. Prosecution is pending. Using NIBIN, Bexar County (TX) Crime Lab was able to link the pistol to the homicide. The suspect from the vehicle stop has agreed to testify against both murder suspects.
Week of January 25, 2010
In February, Miami-Dade Police Department responded to a shooting with injury of a bicyclist. Several days later, Miami-Dade Police Department police responded to a shots fired
call in a residential area where there was no victim. On February 26, 2008, Miami-Dade Police Department stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation and arrested the driver for unlawful possession of a firearm and narcotics. The suspect was later identified as a felon career offender
for having been previously convicted of two separate drug trafficking crimes, Using NIBIN, Miami-Dade Police Department’s Forensic Laboratory was able to link the firearm to the shootings. ATF joined the investigation and the suspect was charged with Federal firearms violations. On December 1, 2008, following conviction, the defendant was sentenced to serve 15 years imprisonment.
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