Not Forgotten Rescues Children - LeGend Attacks Crime

The U.S. Marshals Service Missing Child Unit, in conjunction with the agency’s Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and Georgia state and local agencies, led a two-week operation to rescue endangered missing children.

Operation Not Forgotten rescued 26 children, moved 13 to safe locations and led to the arrest of nine criminal associates

"Operation Not Forgotten" resulted in the rescue of 26 children, the safe location of 13 children and the arrest of nine criminal associates. Additionally, investigators cleared 26 arrest warrants and filed additional charges for alleged crimes related to sex trafficking, parental kidnapping, registered sex offender violations, drugs and weapons possession, and custodial interference. The 26 warrants cleared included 19 arrest warrants for a total of nine individuals arrested, some of whom had multiple warrants.

“The U.S. Marshals Service is fully committed to assisting federal, state, and local agencies with locating and recovering endangered missing children, in addition to their primary fugitive apprehension mission,” said Director of the Marshals Service Donald Washington. “The message to missing children and their families is that we will never stop looking for you.”

These missing children were considered to be some of the most at-risk and challenging recovery cases in the area, based on indications of high-risk factors such as victimization of child sex trafficking, child exploitation, sexual abuse, physical abuse, and medical or mental health conditions. Other children were located at the request of law enforcement to ensure their well being. USMS investigators were able to confirm each child’s location in person and assure their safety and welfare.

“When we track down fugitives, it’s a good feeling to know that we're putting the bad guy behind bars. But that sense of accomplishment is nothing compared to finding a missing child," said Darby Kirby, Chief of the Missing Child Unit. “It's hard to put into words what we feel when we rescue a missing child, but I can tell you that this operation has impacted every single one of us out here. We are working to protect them and get them the help they need.”

Two months ago, President Trump and Attorney General Barr announced a surge in federal law-enforcement agents to cities that were plagued by skyrocketing violent crime. The ramp-up was called “Operation Legend,” in honor of LeGend Taliferro, a four-year-old boy who was shot to death while sleeping in his home in Kansas City. On Monday, Barr provided an update on what the operation has yielded so far.

More than 3,500 arrests made, 815 federal, approximately 200 involve homicide, over 440 firearms crimes, and over 300 drug crimes

Despite suggested commentary, the feds’ strategy did not involve posses of agents descending uninvited by the states. It was a beefing up of existing federal-state task forces. For decades, these joint arrangements have targeted gang and drug crime.

The plan called for the contribution of more FBI, DEA, and other federal law-enforcement agents, along with the provision of funds to make it easier for states and municipalities to contribute more police. The arrangement, in which the state and local officers are often deputized as special federal agents, gives investigators the option to bring the people they’ve arrested to either state or federal court.

The latter option is especially helpful in multi-defendant cases: Under federal law it is easier to prove conspiracy, the penalties are stiffer, and the pretrial supervision is stricter — demanding bail conditions or denial of bail for defendants who endanger the community or are real flight risks.

In the Legend update on Monday, Barr revealed the prosecution of a 26-defendant drug-trafficking gang in Milwaukee. Arrests were made starting Monday morning. In just that day’s seizures, 33 guns were recovered, along with $170,000 in cash, and quantities of heroin that were large by street-level distribution standards, as well as cocaine and marijuana. One of the alleged ringleaders is said to be a Mexican Posse gang member who runs a nationwide drug trafficking network.

The Justice Department elaborates that, after originating in Kansas City, Chicago, and Albuquerque, Operation Legend has been expanded to Cleveland, Detroit, Milwaukee, St. Louis, Memphis, and Indianapolis. More than 3,500 arrests have been made, about 815 of them federal. Approximately 200 of the total arrests involve homicide cases. Of the 815 federal prosecutions, over 440 charge firearms crimes, and over 300 involve drug crimes. The penalties for these offenses are severe, especially when they occur together (as usually happens in gang cases).

The DOJ further reports that “more than 1,000 firearms have been seized; and nearly 18 kilos of heroin, more than 11 kilos of fentanyl (enough to deliver more than five million fatal doses), more than 94 kilos of methamphetamine, nearly 14 kilos of cocaine, and more than $6.5 million in drug proceeds have been seized.”

KPGZ News – Jim Dickerson contributed to this story