Attorney General Bob McDonnell announced the continuation of a successful anti-gang initiative in the Shenandoah Valley Tuesday. Among those joining the Attorney General at the announcement were John Brownlee, the United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia, and Senator Mark Obenshain (R-Harrisonburg).

McDonnell specifically announced that a special prosecutor, currently funded through a federal grant set to expire, will join the payroll of the Office of the Attorney General. He also announced securing of state budget funding for a statewide crime analyst, currently funded through the same expiring federal grant. In addition, McDonnell announced that his office would provide state of the art equipment to local law enforcement, purchased with asset forfeiture funds.

The highlight of the event was the formal announcement that Phillip O. Figura, Special Counsel to the Shenandoah Valley Multi-Jurisdiction Grand Jury and Special Assistant United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia, would remain on the job, despite the elimination of federal funding for his position. Figura was brought on board in March 2006 through a federal grant secured in 2005 with the assistance of Congressmen Frank Wolf and Bob Goodlatte. The federal grant enabling this hiring will expire in June.

During this past session of the General Assembly, McDonnell and local legislators attempted to secure a budget amendment to provide for state funding for this effective prosecutor position. However, that funding could not be secured.

Recognizing the importance of the gang prosecutor to the Valley, McDonnell announced that through cost cutting measures and a reallocation of resources within the office, he will fund this initiative directly through the budget of the Office of the Attorney General. Figura will continue his duties as an Assistant Attorney General.

McDonnell remarks, “We stood before you two years ago to announce this important initiative. Three gang related murders and a rash of violence made it clear to me, my predecessors in this office, and the local Commonwealth’s Attorneys that a gang prosecutor to coordinate use of the multi-jurisdiction grand jury and handle gang cases would be critical to an effective law enforcement strategy to combat gangs. While we have achieved a great deal of success, we must continue this coordinated offensive against gang violence. We had hoped to do so within the state budget, but given the tough economic situation faced by the Commonwealth, this was not possible. Therefore we have gone within the existing budget in our office to find the resources necessary to continue this post. My foremost commitment is to ensure the safety and security of all the citizens of Virginia, and in the Shenandoah Valley that means finding a way to keep our anti-gang efforts underway and fully funded. We have done that.”

In addition, McDonnell also announced the new budget provides funding for the Office of the Attorney General to use in employing a statewide crime analyst to assist law enforcement and prosecutors as they investigate and prepare their gang cases for trial. Currently, David Graham, operating under the same expiring federal grant as Figura, has been effectively working with the law enforcement team in the Valley and contributing to the successful investigation and prosecution of a significant number of cases. The new budget will allow these vital services to continue.

McDonnell also used Tuesday's event to formally present, for use by local law enforcement, a variety of much needed equipment to aid criminal investigations. The equipment was purchased by the Office of the Attorney General, using asset forfeiture funds, after consultation with law enforcement regarding their needs. The equipment will be used by law enforcement investigators working cases for the multi-jurisdiction grand jury.

Brownlee says, “As Virginia’s top law enforcement official, Bob McDonnell has aggressively pursued violent criminals. Our joint efforts against gangs and drug dealers have resulted in safer and more hopeful communities.”

Marsha Garst, Commonwealth’s Attorney for the City of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County, states, “I applaud Bob McDonnell’s leadership and I am pleased to be a part of a cutting edge approach to combat criminal street gangs. The multi-jurisdiction grand jury has been a tremendously useful and effective tool to make our Valley a safer place.”

Thanks to a provision introduced by Obenshain in 2004, multi-jurisdiction grand juries are able to effectively investigate gang crimes. The investigations conducted through use of this single grand jury, by law enforcement throughout the Valley, have produced more than 90 state and federal indictments that have resulted in gang members and their close associates being incarcerated for more than 150 years.

Based on information provided by local area law enforcement, there are known to be more than 300 documented gang members or affiliates currently in the Shenandoah Valley. Since 2001, there have been three gang-related homicides in the area.

- In 2001, Christopher Scott Kenedy, a member of the “Crips” was killed in Augusta County for attempting to leave the gang.

- In 2001, Brenda Paz, a member of MS-13, was killed in Shenandoah County for agreeing to testify against other gang members.

- In 2005, William Pannell, Jr., was killed by William “Tim Tim” Jones, a member of the Bloods, because Pannell would not remove a blue bandana. (seen as a sign of membership in the Crips)