2025 Conference on Violent Crime: Full Schedule

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8:30am EDT

Operation Ceasefire Update

Thursday May 29, 2025 8:30am - 9:30am EDT

Ceasefire Virginia is a proven approach to address and reduce violent criminal activity among serious and repeat offenders. This initiative aims at reducing violent crime by maintaining strategic and effective partnerships with state and federal agencies, local law enforcement and community leaders throughout the Commonwealth. Critical elements of Ceasefire include addressing the most significant drivers of violence, leveraging technology and analytics, developing and implementing enforcement strategies, and deterring others from engaging in violence through prosecution, public awareness, gang intervention, crime prevention, and community policing.

Speakers

Mark Fero

Programs Director, Office of the Attorney General

Mark Fero currently serves as the Director of Crime Reduction Initiatives in the Executive and Administration Division for the Office of the Attorney General of Virginia, where he provides program and financial oversight to federal- and state-funded grant programs. After college, he... Read More →

Thursday May 29, 2025 8:30am - 9:30am EDT
Latham ABC

Keynote

9:30am EDT

Nihilistic Violent Extremism and Sadistic Online Exploitation

Thursday May 29, 2025 9:30am - 10:45am EDT

Latham ABC

The increase in nihilistic violent extremism online is an evolving concern in the threat assessment and threat management (TATM) space. In September 2023, the FBI made a public service announcement regarding violent extremist groups targeting and sextorting vulnerable youths online. This presentation will focus on violent extremist groups, their behaviors and goals, commonly noted offender characteristics, and victimology. We will provide a background on these groups and discuss their evolution over time. Lastly, we will present a case study and offer threat assessment, threat management, and investigative considerations.

Speakers

Melissa R. Stormer

FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit

Dr. Melissa Stormer is a Supervisory Special Agent with the Office of Special Investigations (OSI) and a Clinical/Forensic Psychologist. She has been an OSI agent for 21 years and has experience working and advising on investigations relating to violent crimes, sex crimes, crimes... Read More →

Thursday May 29, 2025 9:30am - 10:45am EDT
Latham ABC

Keynote

11:00am EDT

To Catch a Predator

Thursday May 29, 2025 11:00am - 12:15pm EDT

Latham ABC

Richmond’s Fan Neighborhood sits just west of the City’s center and is one of Richmond’s most diverse neighborhoods. The Fan is home to many Virginia Commonwealth University students, young professionals, and families. From 2014 to 2018, a man named Justin Harvey made this community his preying ground, causing many people to feel uneasy. Harvey put fear into many young women, most between 19 and 24 years old, in the one place they should feel the safest: their homes. Both the Richmond Police Department and VCU Police Department worked tirelessly over this timeframe to identify a man who was reported to have committed numerous burglaries, assaults, and rapes. Eventually, in September 2018, detectives from both agencies and prosecutors from the Richmond Commonwealth Attorney’s Office were able to work together to identify and arrest Harvey. Through the diligent work between these three agencies, Harvey was connected to 10 different cases. Come along as detectives and prosecutors detail how the use of technology, cell phone data, and physical evidence earned Harvey over 200 years in the Virginia Department of Corrections.

Speakers

Joshua Boyles

Joshua Boyles has been a prosecutor for 18 years—first in Westmoreland County for five years, then as an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney for the City of Richmond since 2012. He is a member of the office’s Violent Crime Team.

Sarah Heller

City of Richmond Commonwealth Attorney’s Office

Sarah Heller has been a prosecutor in the Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office for 15 years. She is a supervisor on the Violent Crime Team and provides training to prosecutors and police officers in a variety of programs and schools around the state.

Ben Neifeld

Richmond Police Department

Benjamin Neifeld has been with the Richmond Police Department for 17 years. He has worked in patrol, a Fourth Precinct street crimes unit, Aggravated Assault, and Sex Crimes, and is currently assigned to Homicide.

Lee Olds

Virginia Commonwealth University Police Department

Lee Olds has been with the VCU Police Department for 13 years. The majority of his career has been spent in an investigative role for various types of crime, including narcotics distribution, violent crime, and fraud. He is currently tasked with commanding a patrol platoon... Read More →

Thursday May 29, 2025 11:00am - 12:15pm EDT
Latham ABC

Keynote

1:15pm EDT

First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs: A Case Study on the Link Between Domestic Violence and Mass Attacks

Thursday May 29, 2025 1:15pm - 2:45pm EDT

Latham ABC

Releasing on April 23, 2025, this behavioral case study examines the background and behavioral history of a gunman who killed 26 people and wounded 22 others in an attack at a church in Texas. In this presentation, the presenter will discuss the attacker's long history of domestic violence, child abuse, and sexual violence perpetrated against friends, family members, and others.

Speakers

Josh Ryan

U.S. Secret Service

Dr. Josh Ryan is a Supervisory Social Science Research Specialist with the U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC), where he conducts research on threat assessment and targeted violence. Dr. Ryan has investigated the background, thinking, and behavior of assassins... Read More →

Thursday May 29, 2025 1:15pm - 2:45pm EDT
Latham ABC

Keynote