The United States Attorney's Office (USAO) for the Northern District of Ohio has concluded 2024 with significant accomplishments in its General Crimes Unit. This unit is tasked with prosecuting a wide range of federal law violations across 40 northern counties in Ohio.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys focus on crimes involving firearms, illegal drugs, and violent acts such as armed robberies and carjackings. They also address offenses related to child sexual abuse, failure to register as sex offenders, distribution of child pornography, and human trafficking.
A new Crime Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC) was established in June 2024 to support efforts in reducing violent crime. Attorney General Merrick Garland and ATF Director Steven Dettelbach joined U.S. Attorney Rebecca Lutzko at the center's opening announcement. The CGIC aims to be a central hub for investigating gun violence using advanced technology and tracing systems.
"Driving down violent crime has, without a doubt, been one of our office’s top priorities," stated U.S. Attorney Lutzko. "With the CGIC now fully operational, it allows us to connect the dots between crimes so we can prosecute, convict, and lock up the bad actors who commit violent crimes."
In fiscal year 2024, notable operations included a Violent Crime Reduction Operation that charged 84 defendants with various firearms-related offenses following a three-month initiative led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). This operation resulted in the seizure of over 255 firearms.
Key cases included U.S. v. Conner Walker where Walker admitted to sexually abusing a two-year-old child and distributing videos online; he awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to multiple charges related to child exploitation.
Another case involved Shannon Matheny who was convicted for robbing a bank at gunpoint in Lorain, Ohio. He received a total sentence of 162 months after being found guilty on all counts during his trial.
The USAO also engaged in outreach efforts addressing regional crime issues through discussions with religious and ethnic groups concerned about hate crimes.
For reporting crimes: https://tips.fbi.gov/home