US Marshals Rescue Even More Children as Operations Continue
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As part of an ongoing effort to bring missing and endangered children home, US Marshals across the country are kicking down doors.
We previously reported on Operation Not Forgotten in Atlanta. Here are more details about other operations sweeping the country.
In Oklahoma City, Operation Triple Beam saw 262 suspected gang members arrested. Even better, the Marshals brought home 5 missing children.
“Operation Triple Beam OKC was a targeted enforcement initiative by the Marshals and their partners to address violent crime in and around Oklahoma City,” said U.S. Marshal for the Western District of Oklahoma Johnny Kuhlman.
“Our primary goal with operations like OTB is to make communities safer. When we arrest these violent fugitives, we are also removing guns and narcotics from our streets. We believe these efforts have an immediate, positive impact on the communities we serve.”
Of those arrested, almost 150 suspects were confirmed gang members. The Marshals also confiscated 72 firearms, 9 kilos of drugs, and almost $20,000.
Meanwhile, Marshals rescued 35 tweens and teens in Ohio during Operation Safety Net. In tandem with local police, they began with a caseload of 40 missing kids. About 20% of the cases involved human trafficking.
“These are kids that have been abused, neglected. Some involved in human trafficking. Sometimes the situations they—they go to, believe it or not, may be better than the situations they left from,” U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott said of the mission.
“We’ve had some cases where the mother and or father, or both, may have been prostituting their own child,” he added.
“We are proud to assist in Operation Safety Net and I commend the United States Marshals Service for their hard work and dedication toward locating these children,” Chief John Majoy of Newburg Heights said in a press release. “Many times, they do not know they are a victim and this operation offers hope, freedom and safety they would not otherwise have.”
The missing children in Ohio are as follows:
The Marshals are working with the Human Trafficking Task Force in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, to rescue these children. They are still searching for five more victims.
The law enforcement groups are asking anyone with knowledge of missing or exploited children to contact the US Marshals tip line at 1-866-492-6833.