By Steve Neavling
The U.S. Marshals Service arrested 3,421 fugitives during the latest phase of its high-impact apprehension initiative, Operation North Star FY 2024, the Justice Department announced.
In a news release, the DOJ said that among those arrested, 216 were wanted for homicide, 803 for assault, and 482 for weapons offenses.
The enforcement activities for the initiative spanned 74 days, running from May 10 to September 13, and focused on fugitives in 10 metropolitan areas, including Little Rock, Dallas and Fort Worth, Charleston and North Charleston, Baton Rouge, Phoenix, St. Louis, Birmingham, Winston-Salem, Dayton, and San Antonio.
The initiative primarily targeted violent offenders wanted on warrants for crimes such as homicide, sexual offenses, robbery, aggravated assault, and firearms violations.
During the operation, Marshals also seized 534 firearms, 456 pounds of illegal narcotics, and more than $508,000 in U.S. currency.
“I am deeply grateful to every Deputy U.S. Marshal, Task Force Officer, investigator, and police officer who carried out these arrests, and who did so at great risk to themselves,” Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said.
Since its inception in 2022, the Operation North Star initiatives have led to the arrest of 10,200 wanted fugitives, including 1,153 wanted for homicide. In addition, authorities have seized 1,425 weapons used in violent crimes.
“The success of this operation is the result of the outstanding combined efforts of our Deputies and Task Force Officers, along with strong collaboration with the community and our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners,” Marshals Service Director Ronald L. Davis said.
