Chesterton Tribune

 

 

US Marshals Service National Operation arrests 68 fugitives in NWI

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For the second consecutive year, the U.S. Marshals Service has conducted a high-impact national fugitive apprehension initiative focusing on the country’s most violent offenders.

This six-week initiative, called Operation Violence Reduction12 (Operation VR12), resulted in the arrest of 68 fugitives, gang members, sex offenders and violent criminals in Northwest Indiana.

The service applied a focused approach to locate and apprehend the nation’s most dangerous fugitives. By removing these violent offenders from the streets, the communities they preyed upon can immediately feel more secure.” said U.S. Marshals Service Deputy Director David Harlow. “Operation VR12 was about using our expertise and law enforcement partnerships to significantly impact our communities by focusing on the worst of the worst violent criminals.”

While Operation VR12 was conducted nationwide in all 94 federal judicial districts, U.S. Marshals focused special attention on 12 selected locations, designated as priority cities by the U.S. Department of Justice: Baltimore, Maryland; Brooklyn, New York; Camden, New Jersey; Chicago, Illinois; Compton, California; Fresno, California; Gary, Indiana; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; New Orleans, Louisiana; Oakland, California; Savannah, Georgia; and Washington, D.C.

In Northwest Indiana, of the 68 fugitives that were arrested, four were arrested on homicide charges while ten of those arrested had documented gang affiliations. In addition, 16 fugitives were arrested on sex related charges.

“The results of this operation show the continued cooperation and dedication among our federal, state and local law enforcement partners, “said Acting U.S. Marshal Todd Nukes, Northern District of Indiana. “The pursuit of these violent offenders will continue in Northern Indiana as we advance our efforts to improve public safety by reducing violent crime.”

In order to have the greatest impact on violent crime, Operation VR12 focused on fugitives who had three or more prior felony arrests for crimes such as murder, attempted murder, robbery, aggravated assault, arson, abduction/kidnapping, weapon offenses, sexual assault, child molestation and narcotics. Operation VR12 investigators increased their focus on fugitives accused of sex crimes and on the recovery of missing children.

Between February 1 and March 11, the U.S. Marshals Service used its multi-jurisdictional investigative authority and fugitive task force network to arrest 648 gang members and others wanted on charges including 559 for homicide; and 946 for sexual offenses. In addition, investigators seized 463 firearms, $390,360 in currency, and more than 71 kilograms of illegal narcotics. Also during the operation, investigators recovered 17 children who had been abducted and reported missing.

One of the more notable arrests that took place during Operation VR12 includes the arrest of fugitive Jerri Woods. Woods was arrested on February 29, 2016, in Dallas, Texas, during Operation VR12 by members of the U.S. Marshals North Texas Fugitive Task Force (NTFTF). She was wanted by the Hobart (IN) Police Department (HPD) for two counts of murder, two counts of kidnapping and two counts of murder in perpetration of kidnapping. Charges allege that Woods and six other co-defendants were in a neighborhood feud with the two victims, ages 16 and 18.

“The success of Operation VR12 is the result of outstanding cooperation amongst law enforcement throughout Northern Indiana, “said Chief Inspector Jason Grunwald, Commander of the U.S. Marshals Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force.

The concept behind interagency law enforcement operations such as Operation VR12 evolved largely from regional and district task forces. Since the 1980s, the Marshals Service has combined their resources and expertise with local, state and federal agencies to find and apprehend dangerous fugitives. For more information about Operation VR12, including photographs and B-roll footage, visit www.usmarshals.gov

 

Posted 3/25/2016

 

 
 
 
 

 

 

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