They might also find themselves prosecuted by the Government for espionage.
"Generally speaking, people do more time" when prosecuted by federal authorities, he said.
It expects to make a decision about prosecuting some suspects by the end of the year.
The measure would also give the government more power to prosecute "price gouging" by oil companies.
But it has not shown much more willingness to prosecute abuses by the police forces and the army, human rights groups say.
As in most of California some misdemeanor crimes are prosecute by local city attorneys.
The government ultimately declined to prosecute Bhagat because of his poor health by that time.
Let me emphasize that we do not prosecute by public pressure or by petition.
The move ended a long, contentious trial that was considered a test of the country's willingness to prosecute abuses by the military.
Prosecuting serious criminality by landlords is much more easily said than done.