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The U.S. Marshals Service apprehended 4,455 violent fugitives during the latest phase of Operation North Star III (ONS III), a high-impact fugitive apprehension initiative.
ONS III targeted violent offenders in 20 cities and cleared 2,818 violent warrants, including homicide, forcible sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault, and firearms violations. Investigators also seized 555 firearms, more than $1 million in US currency, and 85 kilograms of illegal narcotics during this three-month enforcement effort.
“Together with our law enforcement partners across the country, the Justice Department is zeroing in on the violent fugitives responsible for the greatest crime in our communities. The U.S. Marshals Service conducted Operation North Star III to target the most violent criminals, and together with state and local law enforcement arrested over 4,400 fugitives across 20 cities in just three months,” said Attorney General Merrick Garland, according to a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice.
“ONS is an evidence-based strategy that targets the drivers of violence in our communities,” said U.S. Marshals Service Director Ronald Davis. “ONS is part of the Attorney General’s violent crime reduction strategy, and its success is based on community partnerships and collaboration with our local and state law enforcement partners. I want to thank the outstanding work of the women and men of the USMS and our partnering law enforcement agencies. Together with the community, these efforts have contributed to successful violence reduction efforts in ONS cities.”
This is the third ONS enforcement action since July 2022.
In total, US Marshals apprehended over 6,700 wanted fugitives, including 900 charged with homicide, and seized over 900 weapons associated with violent crime. Interagency law enforcement operations like ONS arose largely from regional and district fugitive task forces.
Since the 1980s, the US Marshals Service has collaborated with local, state, and federal agencies to locate and apprehend dangerous fugitives.
Albuquerque, Baltimore, Buffalo, New York, Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Ohio, Detroit, Houston, Indianapolis, Jackson, Mississippi, Kansas City, Missouri, Los Angeles, Memphis, Tennessee, Milwaukee, New Orleans, New York, Oakland, California, Philadelphia, Puerto Rico, and Washington, D.C. were the primary jurisdictions of ONS III.
Violent fugitives wanted for crimes ranging from murder to robbery in Memphis were apprehended as part of ONS III, which spanned 20 cities over a three-month period.
From June 5th to September 8th, the US Marshals Two Rivers Violent Fugitive Task Force, along with partner agencies from the local, state, and federal levels, participated in the high-impact, fugitive apprehension initiative. The team arrested 249 fugitives and served 288 arrest warrants in Memphis.
There were 30 warrants for Murder or Attempted Murder, 23 for Sexual Offenses, 75 for Assault, 32 for Robbery, and 38 for Weapons Charges. There were a total of 24 firearms seized.
“Our commitment to the safety of Memphis remains strong,” said United States Marshal Tyreece Miller. “An uptick in violent crime here in Memphis and across the country has not gone unnoticed by the Department of Justice or the U.S. Marshals Service. This operation and the commitment by our partner agencies show that together we will make a difference.”
This is the third ONS enforcement action since July 2022. During these operations, US Marshals apprehended over 6,700 wanted fugitives, 900 of whom were charged with homicide, and removed over 900 weapons associated with violent crime.
Interagency law enforcement operations like ONS arose largely from regional and district fugitive task forces. Since the 1980s, the US Marshals Service has collaborated with local, state, and federal agencies to locate and apprehend dangerous fugitives.
“U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations is committed to protecting national security and the communities we serve against transnational criminal organizations,” said Deputy Director and Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Director Tae D. Johnson. “With our broad legal authorities and ability to investigate a wide spectrum of crimes, our HSI special agents will continue to maximize global efforts that detect, deter, disrupt, and dismantle criminal syndicates and those who propagate associated illicit operations.”
