Federal prosecutors in Chicago have sharply increased their pursuit of violent offenders and gun crimes, with the number of firearm indictments nearly tripling under U.S. Attorney Andrew S. Boutros’ leadership, officials announced. Boutros, joined by leaders from the FBI, ATF, DEA, and U.S. Marshals Service, said the Northern District has experienced a dramatic rise in both firearm and overall criminal prosecutions in 2025.
Through October 31, 2025, federal firearm indictments filed under the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative increased 292 percent, from 26 cases in 2024 to 102 this year, the officials said. The number of defendants charged in those cases rose from 30 to 116—a 287 percent increase. Overall, federal criminal indictments across all program areas jumped 45 percent, from 252 last year to 366 this year, while the number of defendants charged rose 52 percent, from 325 to 494, according to Boutros.
“Combating the epidemic of gun crime and violence is a national priority for this Department of Justice, and it is a top priority of mine,” he said. “We will continue to devote substantial resources to supporting our law enforcement partners and prosecuting the most significant violent offenders.”…