MINNEAPOLIS— Minnesota’s top federal law enforcement official is resigning within weeks.
The new president will choose U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger’s replacement.
Luger sat down with WCCO’s Reg Chapman to reflect on the work he’s done to put gang members behind bars.
“There was a sense in this community among community leaders and law enforcement that we really needed to step up violent crime,” Luger said.
Luger’s second attempt as top prosecutor in the state of Minnesota came with a vision to launch a violent crimes initiative.
He brought together community and law enforcement leaders.
“Law enforcement was hungry for leadership and direction, especially around carjackings, guns and gangs. And then came fentanyl very quickly, the need to address fentanyl,” Luger said. “Community leaders were hungry for and fully supportive of an approach that would have an immediate impact on the level of violence.”
His view: use the RICO Act – Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization – to tackle organized crime prosecute gang members.
Luger and his team built cases against street gangs in Minneapolis. Fifty-six defendants have been arrested and charged, and 25 have been convicted to date. He believes the onslaught on violent crime will continue once he steps down.
“2025 is pretty well baked in. There will be a series of trials against the Highs, followed by trials against the Lows. Those are the charges we have filed where the defendants are usually waiting to appear in court,” Luger said.
Luger also inherited the largest pandemic fraud case in the province. He indicted 70 people in what became known as tthe Feeding Our Future case. The trials against the accused will also continue until 2025.
“To be able to look community leaders in the eye and say, ‘We’re doing what you told us to do,’ I’m really proud of that,” Luger said. “It’s always difficult to leave a job you love, but I feel I leave this office well prepared to take on the challenges we have now and the challenges that are yet to come. I look looking forward to seeing my successor succeed.”
Luger says he will return to private life but can’t talk about what’s next for him. He says he hopes to be involved in the community in a way that makes a difference.
Reg Chapman
