Feds Announce Dozens of Violent Crime and Illegal Weapons Charges
Federal and local law enforcement announced indictments Monday for 71 people accused of violent crime and illegal weapons possession in Birmingham and north Alabama. Some of those arrested also had drug charges.
The indictments and arrests are part of ramped up efforts to get illegal guns off the streets through the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative. That program pours extra money into crime fighting and helps law enforcement agencies collaborate to identify and arrest violent felons.
Over the past two months, authorities in north Alabama confiscated 140 weapons during arrests, including several handguns capable of firing rifle rounds. David Hyche, assistant special agent in charge with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, says bullets from those weapons can go through multiple protective vests.
“If my people learn of an individual who is purchasing multiple, rifle-round-firing handguns, and they are associated with a criminal group, we share that intelligence,” Hyche says. “We don’t want to hold on to a piece of intelligence that can save an officer’s life.”
Most of the 71 people indicted had multiple prior arrests, Hyche says.
It’s been a revolving door for some felons, but U.S. Attorney Jay Town says when federal charges stick, people are in prison longer because they serve about 85 percent of their sentences.
Interim Birmingham Police Chief Henry Irby says he’s pleased with what these indictments mean for city residents.
“They don’t deserve to have to hide in their bathtubs when gunfire is ringing out,” Irby says. “They do not deserve to see violence in their neighborhoods day after day.”
Town says this operation is not a one-time event, and there will be more indictments in the future focused on reducing violent crime.
Voice of America gutted by Trump adviser Kari Lake
The Trump administration is slashing jobs at Voice of America's parent agency by 85%. Journalists who have risked their freedom to report for the broadcaster wonder what happens next.
Judge orders release of Columbia activist Mahmoud Khalil
Khalil will be released on bail while his case challenging his deportation orders plays out in the courts.
A cancer center in Jordan treats kids from Gaza, but only a few dozen have arrived
Children from Gaza with cancer are finally making it to Jordan for long-promised treatment. But a plan to allow as many as 2,000 patients out of the war-torn enclave has slowed.
What children in poverty could lose from the ‘Big Beautiful Bill’
Republicans want to change or reduce key social safety net programs that provide healthcare, food benefits and financial assistance for millions of children.
Bessemer recommends changing its laws to accommodate one of the country’s largest proposed data centers
Despite overwhelming public opposition, officials in Bessemer voted to recommend changes to city zoning ordinances to allow the massive development. Its operation could strain the state’s water and power supplies and leave an already imperiled fish species at risk of extinction.
Why is caregiving so hard in America? The answers emerge in a new film
A new documentary on PBS shows what it's like to care for adult family members and recounts the history of caregiving policy in the U.S., revealing why those caring for family are often on their own.