The U.S. Marshals Service has conducted a high-impact fugitive apprehension initiative focusing on the country’s most violent offenders in 10 cities, including Memphis. This 30-day initiative, called Operation North Star (ONS) resulted in the arrest of 122 fugitives, sex offenders, and violent criminals wanted in the Bluff City. The major partners in this endeavor were the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, Memphis Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Tennessee Department of Correction, Jackson Police Department, and Fayette County Sheriff’s Office. 86 of the 122 arrests were carried out by the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office.
ONS concentrated on fugitives who were wanted for the most serious, violent, and harmful offenses such as homicide, forcible sexual assault, robbery, and aggravated assault. ONS also looked for opportunities for the U.S. Marshals Service to engage with the community in ways to reduce crime. Along with Memphis, ONS was deployed in Baltimore, Chicago, Houston, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. Each has seen a large increase in recent homicides and shootings.
“Operation North Star demonstrates the U.S. Marshals Service’s commitment to reducing violent crime by apprehending dangerous fugitives and sex offenders who prey on the community. By working in conjunction with our law enforcement partners and supporting crime prevention initiatives, we can help create safer neighborhoods,” said Tyreece Miller, U.S. Marshal for the Western District of Tennessee.
“By participating in joint inter-agency ventures like Operation North Star, we are able to combine our various resources, field intelligence, and experience levels in order to achieve faster results that a single agency cannot hope for. At last count, 122 violent criminals were targeted and removed from the streets of Memphis and Shelby County during this joint operation, allowing for a safer community environment for our citizens,” said Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner, Jr.
Between June 1 and June 30, 2022, the U.S. Marshals Service used its multi-jurisdictional investigative authority and fugitive task force network to arrest fugitives wanted in Memphis and Shelby County on charges including murder (10 arrests), attempted murder (eight arrests), sexual offenses (12 arrests), aggravated assault (32 arrests), and armed robbery (seven arrests). In addition, investigators seized nine firearms, $1,282.00 in currency, more than .96 kilograms of illegal narcotics, and two vehicles.
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