INDIANAPOLIS – U.S. Marshals spent the entire month of June working to track down some of the country’s most violent fugitives in an intensive, ten-city operation that included Indianapolis.
Indianapolis was one of ten cities chosen for the nationwide fugitive sweep, the U.S. Marshals Service said, after an analysis of federal crime data and input from the Department of Justice.
The 30-day initiative, dubbed “Operation North Star,” concentrated on fugitives with arrest warrants, specifically those sought in serious violent offenses such as homicide, rape and sexual assault, robbery or aggravated assault.
Marshals routinely coordinate with state and local law enforcement agencies to track down wanted individuals, but Operation North Star was designed with a focus on some of the country’s most violent fugitives.
In addition to Indianapolis, other cities involved were New Orleans, New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, Memphis, Houston, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Each city has seen a recent increase in homicides and shootings, according to the U.S. Marshals Service.
Operation North Star was conducted between June 1 and June 30. It resulted in the arrests of more than 60 fugitives, gang members, sex offenders and violent criminals in the Southern District of Indiana.
Marshals worked with local law enforcement agencies, such as the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, during the 30-day sweep.
Nationally, the operation resulted in the arrests of more than 1,500 fugitives, including 230 for homicides and 131 for sexual offenses. Investigators seized 166 guns, $53,600 in cash and more than 33 kilograms of drugs during the monthlong initiative.