PROJECT EXILE ANNOUNCES 21 ARRESTS, SEEKS 12 FUGITIVES

RICHMOND, VA-ATF Special Agent in Charge Jeff Roehm announced that the Project Exile Task Force arrested 21 individuals for violations of Federal firearms laws, and in some instances, Federal narcotics laws as well. In addition, 12 individuals are fugitives at large.

Within the last month, teams of local, state and federal law enforcement officers arrested 21 individuals who were indicted for Federal violations in the City of Richmond.

"We're here to make a public appeal to the Richmond community to help law enforcement find these 12 fugitives," said ATF Special Agent in Charge Jeff Roehm. "WANTED" posters will appear around the city at Richmond Police Precinct houses. Citizens with information on the whereabouts of these fugitives can contact the local CrimeStoppers at 804-780-1000. Callers could be eligible for up to a $1,000 reward.

"ATF is excited about being an integral member of Project Exile in the City of Richmond," said Roehm.

In the last six months, ATF has directed additional resources toward Project Exile in Richmond, including a new Field Office in downtown Richmond, opened in November 2002, which is specifically dedicated to Project Exile.

A law enforcement partnership founded in 1997, Project Exile has indicted 946 defendants over the last 6 years. The task force, which includes the U.S. Attorney's Office, the Richmond Commonwealth Attorney's Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Virginia State Police and the Richmond Police Department, is a unified offensive to affect a sustained reduction in the level of gun crime in the City of Richmond. Today, Project Exile, a part of President Bush and Attorney General Ashcroft's gun and violent crime initiative, Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), is an initiative that seeks to redesign the way law enforcement works to fight violent crime and gun violence in America. This program is committed to reduce gun crime by networking both new and existing local programs targeting gun crime.

Crimes involving firearms are impacting our city and our nation. In 2001, there were more than 13,000 murder victims in the United States. More than 8,000, 62%, were killed with a firearm. Youth, especially between the ages of 13 and 24, are in peril. In 2001, statistics show more than 4,000 of these young people were murdered in America. More than 3000 (75%) were murdered with a firearm, and 85% of all juvenile gang related murders were attributed to a firearm. In addition, in 2001, 70 law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty. Firearms were used in 61 of those murders.

Click to view updated Wanted Poster.

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