From DC to Memphis, US Marshals arresting thousands, taking guns off streets

By Bethany Blankley
The Center Square

After President Donald Trump directed federal law enforcement officers to crack down on crime in major U.S. cities, thousands have been arrested and thousands of illegal guns have been taken off the streets in two major cities.

In 100 days, more than 6,000 people were arrested and more than 600 guns were taken off the streets of Washington, D.C., according to the U.S. Marshals Service. In 40 days, several thousand people were arrested and several hundred guns were taken off the streets in Memphis, led by a Marshals’ task force.

In its “Operation Making the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful,” a U.S. Marshal task force, working with multiple law enforcement partners, arrested more than 6,150 violent fugitives in the nation’s capital. Sixteen were arrested on homicide charges, 958 for narcotics, 461 for weapons offenses, and 28 for sex offenses, the U.S. Marshals Service said.

Task force members also seized 600 illegally possessed firearms and arrested 37 known gang members as part of the operation, it said.

The operation began Aug. 11. By Nov. 14, more than 6,000 had been arrested. Investigations are ongoing. Prosecutions will be conducted by the Department of Justice.

The multi-agency operation included officers and investigators from 28 federal and local agencies targeting all eight wards in the district.

“President Trump’s federal surge has proven that tolerating crime is a policy choice. Our brave Department of Justice agents, alongside federal and local partners, have done historic work to restore public safety and pride to our nation’s beautiful capital,” Attorney General Pamela Bondi said.

“Each of the 28 agencies that make up this Task Force are committed to protecting our communities and our children,” Gadyaces Serralta, director of the U.S. Marshals Service, said. “No longer will these criminals prowl the streets for their next victim. Residents, workers, and visitors of DC feel safer knowing that the possibility of being robbed at gun point or murdered by shots being fired has decreased significantly. By removing unwanted criminals and illegal firearms from the streets and neighborhoods, our Nation’s capital is becoming safe again.”

In Memphis, a Memphis Safe Task Force has arrested 2,342 people and taken hundreds of illegal guns off the streets in more than 40 days, the U.S. Marshal’s Office said.

The task force has cleared 1,000 warrants originating in Memphis, including 203 for narcotics, 264 for firearms, and others for sex offenses and other charges, it says.

“Over 1000 warrants cleared in 41 days is quick work and we aren’t slowing down,” U.S. Marshals Service Operation Commander Chad Hunt said. “We will continue to investigate each warrant we adopt and arrest the assailants to make Memphis and Shelby County a safer place to live.”

The multi-agency task force has also seized more than 400 illegal firearms, large quantities of narcotics and contraband, it says.

It’s also helped dismantle a Boyd Street gang allegedly responsible for violent and drug-related crimes, arrested fugitives and seized narcotics.

Similar to task force efforts in other states, the Memphis Safe Task Force has located and safely returned 101 missing children.

In Florida, two U.S. Marshals-led operations resulted in the rescuing of nearly 300 children in four months, The Center Square reported.