MEMPHIS, Tenn.– More than 1,500 fugitives nationwide are behind bars Wednesday for violent crimes including murder, aggravated assault, and rape after a special operation led by the U.S. Marshals Service.
“During the month of June, the U.S. Marshal Service deployed Operation North Star in Memphis and 9 other cities,” said Tyreece Miller with the U.S. Marshals Service for the Western District of Tennessee.
Miller said the operation’s goal was to arrest fugitives wanted for the most violent crimes including homicide, rape and sexual assault, robbery, and aggravated assault.
Three teams made up of federal, state, and local agencies worked around the clock.
“Collectively, we located and arrested the drivers of violent crime and remove them from our communities,” Miller said.
They arrested 122 fugitives in Memphis.
- 10 were wanted for murder
- 8 were wanted for attempted murder
- 12 were wanted for sexual assault and rape
- 32 were wanted for aggravated assault
- 7 were wanted for armed robbery.
Many of them have lengthy records and some were on probation or parole.
“Many of these individuals are individuals that are members of gangs in our city,” said Memphis Police Chief CJ Davis.
On the first day of the operation, Trevon Harris was arrested. He was wanted for shooting four people in a car, killing two people including a 15-year-old boy.
They also nabbed a mother on the run accused of killing her two-year-old son.
“The people who must not be forgotten are the victims of their crimes. Some of the families who only have their memories,” Miller said.
Those who worked this operation also confiscated nine guns, cash, narcotics, and two cars.
Shelby County District Attorney Amy Weirich said she’s now working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to see how they will proceed with each arrest.
We will be following some of these cases to let you know what happens.
