WASHINGTON, June 19 (Reuters) - Relatives of the victims

of two fatal Boeing 737 MAX crashes asked the Justice

Department on Wednesday to seek a fine against the planemaker of

up to $24.78 billion and move forward with a criminal

prosecution.

The Justice Department said in May it determined Boeing ( BA )

violated a 2021 deferred prosecution agreement that shielded the

company from a criminal charge arising from fatal crashes in

2018 and 2019 that killed 346 people. Boeing ( BA ) last week told the

government it did not violate the agreement. Federal prosecutors

have until July 7 to inform a federal judge in Texas of their

plans, which could include proceeding with a criminal case and

negotiating a plea deal with Boeing ( BA ).