(Memphis) Memphis Police and federal agents are raiding several Memphis and north Mississippi businesses today.
The US attorney’s office will only say that this is a raid of certain day care centers around the city.
We are told this has something to do with money and the Secret Service is involved.
The reason why the US Attorney’s office is not releasing much information to the media is because these raids are being done with federal search warrants filed under seal.
We witnessed the Secret Service and the Memphis Police Organized Crime Unit come in and out of the KARE center in Hickory Hill.
Some agents showed up with boxes to collect evidence.
What that evidence is we don’t know, but our crew saw filing cabinets being rolled around inside.
Parents of children at the daycare were told to come pick up their kids.
One woman said workers inside did not seem to know what was going on.
“I just came appear to get my child. What’s wrong?” asked Qiarah Bookman. “Are the kids still in there?”
The parents were told they would have to temporarily find a new day care for their children but the ones raided will be closed down for now.
The US Attorney’s Office says this was just the investigative part of the process and it may take months for an arrest or indictment, if one comes as all.
List of reported locations raided today:
- KARE Enrichment Centers on Ridgeway, Winchester and Raines Road.
- Chism Family Learning Center at 361 West Holmes
- Chism Child Care at 3673 South Third
- Save More at 4082 South Third
- EOJ Restaurant & Lounge 6102 Macon Road
Shelby County Commissioner Sidney Chism, who is accused of breaking the rules when he voted on a Head Start fund that ended up in his pocket because his wife owns a daycare center, is not affiliated with any of the centers raided Thursday.
The following is a statement from United States Attorney Edward L. Stanton III Western District of Tennessee:
Earlier today, federal search warrants were executed upon a number of establishments in Shelby County and North Mississippi. These warrants were filed under seal and are part of an ongoing investigation. Therefore, we have no further comment on this matter at this time.
Law enforcement agencies involved in the execution of these search warrants include the Memphis Police Department Organized Crime Unit, the United States Secret Service, the United States Marshals Service, the United States Department of Agriculture, and the Tennessee Department of Human Services.