Forty-one convicted felons in central Arkansas have been indicted on a number of gun- and drug-related charges as part of a federal program to reduce violent crime.
U.S. Attorney Christopher Thyer announced the charges, most of which happened over the past six months, Tuesday during a news conference at the U.S. attorney’s office for the Eastern District of Arkansas.
The indictments were part of the Violence Reduction Network initiative that “enlists tactical and operational expertise” to assist local police departments in reducing instances of violent crime, according to a news release.
The majority of the indictments related to cases initially investigated by the Little Rock and North Little Rock police departments.
“While much has been done, there is still much to do,” Thyer said, noting that continued violence in Little Rock is unacceptable.
And though the program is not designed to end violent crime, it serves as a tool to stem violence that “plagues far too many cities,” he said.
Four of the felons are still awaiting arrest while the 37 others are in different stages of prosecution, the U.S. attorney’s office said.
Check back with Arkansas Online for updates and read Wednesday’s Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.
