Organized Crime Convictions for September 2012
The latest available data from the Justice Department show that during September 2012 the government reported 56 new organized crime convictions. According to the case-by-case information analyzed by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC), this number is up 115.4% over the previous month.
The comparisons of the number of defendants convicted for organized crime-related offenses are based on case-by-case information obtained by TRAC under the Freedom of Information Act from the Executive Office for United States Attorneys. (See Table 1)
When monthly 2012 convictions of this type are compared with those of the same period in the previous year, the number of convictions was up (8.6 percent). Convictions over the past year are still much lower than they were five years ago. Overall, the data show that convictions of this type are down 20.6 percent from levels reported in 2007.
The decrease from the levels five years ago in organized crime convictions for these matters is shown more clearly in Figure 1. The vertical bars in Figure 1 represent the number of organized crime convictions of this type recorded on a month-to-month basis. Where a prosecution was initially filed in U.S. Magistrate Court and then transferred to the U.S. District Court, the magistrate filing date was used since this provides an earlier indicator of actual trends. The superimposed line on the bars plots the six-month moving average so that natural fluctuations are smoothed out. The one and five-year rates of change in Table 1 and in the sections that follow are all based upon this six-month moving average. To view trends year-by-year rather than month-by-month, see TRAC's annual report series for a broader picture.
Within the broad category of organized crime, cases were classified by prosecutors into more specific types.
Case types within organized crime are
Organized Crime - Traditional Organizations
Organized Crime - Emerging Organizations
The largest number of convictions of these matters in September 2012 was for "Organized Crime-Traditional Organization", accounting for 57.1 percent of convictions. Convictions were also filed for "Organized Crime-Emerging Organization " (37.5%), "Organized Crime-High Priority Organized" (5.4%). See Figure 2.
The lead investigative agency for organized crime convictions in September 2012 was FBI accounting for 75 percent of convictions. Other agencies with substantial numbers of organized crime convictions were: ATF (7% ), DEA (7%), DHS (4%). See Figure 3.
Organized Crime Convictions in U.S. Magistrate Courts
Top Ranked Lead Charges
In September 2012, no defendants in organized crime cases for these matters were filed in U.S. Magistrate Courts. These courts handle less serious misdemeanor cases, including what are called "petty offenses." In addition, complaints are sometimes filed in the magistrate courts before an indictment or information is entered. In these cases, the matter starts in the magistrate courts and later moves to the district court where subsequent proceedings take place.
Organized Crime Convictions in U.S. District Courts
In September 2012, 56 defendants in new cases for these matters were charged in the U.S. District Courts. In addition during September there were an additional 0 defendants whose cases moved from the magistrate courts to the U.S. district courts after an indictment or information was filed. The sections which follow cover both sets of cases and therefore cover all matters filed in district court during September.
Top Ranked Lead Charges
Table 2 shows the top lead charges recorded in the convictions of organized crime matters filed in U.S. District Court during September 2012.
Lead Charge Count Rank 1yr ago 5yrs ago 18 USC 1962 - RICO - prohibited activities 26 1 2 1 More 18 USC 1951 - Hobbs Act 9 2 4 2 More 18 USC 922 - Firearms; Unlawful acts 4 3 5 3 More 21 USC 841 - Drug Abuse Prevention & Control-Prohibited acts A 4 3 1 14 More 21 USC 846 - Attempt and conspiracy 4 3 2 11 More 18 USC 894 - Collection of extensions of credit by extortionate 3 6 7 7 More 18 USC 1959 - Violent crimes in aid of racketeering activity 2 7 7 9 More 18 USC 371 - Conspiracy to commit offense or to defraud US 1 8 11 3 More 18 USC 875 - Interstate Communications 1 8 - - More 18 USC 1341 - Mail Fraud - Frauds and swindles 1 8 - 8 More 18 USC 1512 - Tampering with a witness, victim, or an informant 1 8 12 22 More Table 2: Top charges for convictions
"RICO - prohibited activities" (Title 18 U.S.C Section 1962) was the most frequent recorded lead charge. "RICO - prohibited activities" (Title 18 U.S.C Section 1962) was ranked 2 a year ago, while it was ranked 1 five years ago.
Ranked 2nd in frequency was the lead charge "Hobbs Act" under Title 18 U.S.C Section 1951. "Hobbs Act" under Title 18 U.S.C Section 1951 was ranked 4 a year ago, while it was ranked 2 five years ago.
Ranked 3rd were "Firearms; Unlawful acts" under Title 18 U.S.C Section 922, "Drug Abuse Prevention & Control-Prohibited acts A" under Title 21 U.S.C Section 841 and "Attempt and conspiracy" under Title 21 U.S.C Section 846. "Firearms; Unlawful acts" under Title 18 U.S.C Section 922 was ranked 5 a year ago, while it was ranked 3 five years ago."Drug Abuse Prevention & Control-Prohibited acts A" under Title 21 U.S.C Section 841 was ranked 1 a year ago."Attempt and conspiracy" u nder Title 21 U.S.C Section 846 was ranked 2 a year ago.
Among these top ten lead charges, the one showing the greatest increase in convictions—up 433.3 percent—compared to one year ago was Title 18 U.S.C Section 1959 that involves " Violent crimes in aid of racketeering activity ". Compared to five years ago, the largest increase—500 percent—was registered for convictions under " Drug Abuse Prevention & Control-Prohibited acts A " (Title 21 U.S.C Section 841 ).
Again among the top ten lead charges, the one showing the sharpest decline in convictions compared to one year ago—down 58.6 percent—was Drug Abuse Prevention & Control-Prohibited acts A (Title 21 U.S.C Section 841 ). Compared to five years ago, the most significant decline in convictions— 76.5 percent—was for convictions where the lead charge was " Conspiracy to commit offense or to defraud US " (Title 18 U.S.C Section 371 ).
Top Ranked Judicial Districts
In September 2012 the Justice Department said the government obtained 21.9 organized crime convictions for every ten million people in the United States.
Understandably, there is great variation in the per capita number of organized crime convictions in each of the nation's ninety-four federal judicial districts.
The districts registering the largest number of convictions per capita for these matters last month are shown in Table 3. Districts must have at least 5 organized crime convictions to receive a ranking.
The Southern District of New York (Manhattan)—with 467 convictions as compared with 21.9 convictions per ten million population in the United States—was the most active during September 2012. The Southern District of New York (Manhattan) was ranked 5 a year ago, while it was ranked 1 for most frequent use five years ago.
The Eastern District of New York (Brooklyn) ranked 2nd. The Eastern District of New York (Brooklyn) was ranked 4 a year ago, while it was ranked 2 for most frequent use five years ago.
Eastern District of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia) is now ranking 3rd. The Eastern District of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia) was ranked 8 a year ago.
The federal judicial district which showed the greatest growth in the rate of organized crime convictions compared to one year ago— 240 percent—was Eastern District of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia). Compared to five years ago, the district with the largest growth— 2700 percent—was Middle District of Florida (Tampa).
Top Ranked District Judges
At any one time, there are about 680 federal District Court judges working in the United States. The judges recorded with the largest number of new organized crime crime cases resulting in convictions of this type during September 2012 are shown in Table 4.
Judge Count Rank Kaplan, Lewis A. N. Y., S 16 1 More Townes, Sandra L. N. Y., E 6 2 More Davis, Legrome D. Penn, E 6 2 More Whittemore, James D. Fla, M 4 4 More Amon, Carol Bagley N. Y., E 3 5 More Leinenweber, Harry Daniel Ill, N 2 6 More Robreno, Eduardo C. Penn, E 2 6 More Anello, Michael M. Cal, S 1 8 More Merryday, Steven Douglas Fla, M 1 8 More Covington, Virginia Maria Hernandez Fla, M 1 8 More Kobayashi, Leslie Emi Hawaii 1 8 More Wolf, Mark Lawrence Mass 1 8 More Block, Frederic N. Y., E 1 8 More Gershon, Nina N. Y., E 1 8 More Glasser, Israel Leo N. Y., E 1 8 More Gleeson, John N. Y., E 1 8 More Ross, Allyne R. N. Y., E 1 8 More Sharpe, Gary L. N. Y., N 1 8 More Berman, Richard M. N. Y., S 1 8 More McMahon, Colleen N. Y., S 1 8 More Skretny, William M. N. Y., W 1 8 More Rosenthal, Lee Hyman Texas, S 1 8 More Table 4: Top 10 judges
A total of 15 out of the "top ten" judges were in districts which were in the top ten with the largest number of organized crime convictions per capita, while the remaining 7 judges were from other districts. (Because of ties, there were a total of 22 judges in the "top ten" rankings.)
Judge Lewis A. Kaplan in the Southern District of New York (Manhattan) ranked 1st with 16 convicted in organized crime convictions.
Judges Sandra L. Townes in the Eastern District of New York (Brooklyn) and Legrome D. Davis in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia) ranked 2nd with 6 convicted in organized crime convictions.
Report Generated: December 11, 2012
