Apr 11

Apr 11 Braveboy: Forging A New Weapon In Crimefighting

HB1063 Will Provide Prosecutors Statewide Additional Tools To Hold Gangs And Criminal Groups Accountable

Law enforcement and prosecutors may soon have significant new abilities in holding criminals accountable, according to State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy.

Braveboy is celebrating a series of significant triumphs at the conclusion of the Maryland General Assembly’s legislative session. Amid these achievements, after a dedicated two-year effort, one of her particular legislative initiatives stands out as the crowning achievement of the session – House Bill 1063.

State’s Attorney Braveboy has partnered with Baltimore City State’s Attorney, Ivan Bates, toward the passage of one of her longstanding priorities---the expansion of the Maryland Organized Crime Bill (HB1063).

The bill will provide prosecutors around the state with an additional arsenal of comprehensive tools to counteract criminal groups and entities often referred to as “crews” or “gangs.”

The bill as amended, specifies that “criminal organization” includes an informal association and broadens the range of underlying offenses to support a prosecution pursuant to Maryland’s criminal organization statute. This will ensure legal consequences for individuals who financially profit from the illicit activities of gangs or street crews.

For example, establishments operating as chop shops that acquire vehicles or parts from stolen or carjacked automobiles and remove or falsify vehicle identification numbers will face increased legal exposure regarding the trafficking of stolen vehicles. Furthermore, the increasing involvement of firearms in criminal offenses is a growing concern in Prince George’s County. In Maryland, over the past several years there has been an emergence of these criminal groups, which typically consist of adults who recruit minors to participate in their criminal endeavors. These groups have also become sophisticated.

The change in the law will enable the prosecution of all individuals who, use firearms while committing crimes on behalf of, at the direction of, or in association with a criminal organization. Additionally, the bill will provide the legal framework to prosecute other types of organized crimes, including the creation and sharing of indecent or obscene material, abuse or neglect of a vulnerable adult, threat of mass violence, and the common law misdemeanor of misconduct in office.

The bill also expands what “underlying crime” means (for the purposes of establishing a “pattern of organized crime activity). “The passage of this bill is a historic win for all of us in Prince George’s County and the state of Maryland,” said State’s Attorney Braveboy. “We’ve successfully prosecuted numerous cases against members of organized groups committing auto theft and carjacking in the past, but these legal modifications will bolster our efforts in prosecuting individuals and entities that financially gain from such criminal acts. HB1063 will significantly improve the way we charge and prosecute cases and individuals, specifically those acting in concert. Ultimately, we will be best positioned to hold everyone in the criminal chain accountable and achieve justice for our victims. That is why I was persistently laser focused on this bill and strongly advocated for it because of the importance in ensuring justice and keeping our communities safe.”

“The passage of this bill is a victory for Maryland,” said State’s Attorney Bates. “The manner in which criminal organizations function has rapidly evolved in Maryland over the past few years. Passage of this bill allows law enforcement, particularly prosecutors, the flexibility to adapt to the changing landscape and continue to successfully prosecute criminal organizations.”

Along with State’s Attorney, Ivan Bates, State’s Attorney Braveboy partnered with Senator C. Anthony Muse and Delegate Nicole Williams to successfully get this bill passed.