
In a recent announcement, United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg reported a substantial drive to tackle the surge in violent crimes, with a focus on firearms offenses. Handberg's office in the Middle District of Florida has indicted 46 individuals during the first quarter of fiscal year 2025, part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative. This charge comes as the latest effort in federal prosecutors' campaign to combat gun violence, which has seen a 75% increase in the number of violent crime and firearm cases in federal court over the past three years. More than 750 defendants have been charged with firearms violations, and of those, 300 were charged in the most recent fiscal year alone.
According to a release from the Justice Department, PSN looks to rigorously reduce violent crime by involving a spectrum of stakeholders working together to diagnose and devise comprehensive solutions to the issues plaguing communities. Alongside these indictments, the U.S. Attorney's Office took part in over 30 community outreach events to promote PSN and engage directly with locals on crime prevention, reaching hundreds of students and other members of the community, including those recently released from incarceration.
This evidence-based violent crime reduction strategy not only strives to strategically prosecute the most violent offenders but also actively engages in intervention and prevention through community dialogue and support for re-entry programs. "My office is committed to working with our local, state, and federal law enforcement officers to combat violent crime," Handberg said in a statement provided by the Justice Department.
Among the notable cases, JD Irons, Jr. fell under enhanced sentencing due to his qualifying as an Armed Career Criminal Act case, resulting in a 15-year federal prison term for possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. Another case saw Joshua Fries pleading guilty to unlawful possession of a silencer and machinegun-conversion devices, with sentencing set for up to 10 years in federal prison on each count. As part of the crackdown, Joshua Grant Cobb was sentenced to 25 years for drug trafficking and Francisco Cabrera received 38 years for a series of violent offenses including robbery and attempted murder.
These indictments, which also led to the seizure of more than 85 firearms, highlight the significance of the PSN strategy in directly challenging the cycle of violence and crime. The focused enforcement is part of a broader attempt to ensure safety and peace through the rigors of the justice system. More information on PSN and its efforts can be found on the U.S. Attorney's Office website.