A task force operation in Tennessee has led to 101 missing children cases being cleared, according to the U.S. Marshals, who also said more than 1,000 warrants had been cleared.
The Memphis Safe Task Force has been in operation for only several weeks, but the operation has led to more than 2,300 arrests and the seizure of over 389 firearms.
‘While investigative work is tedious, locating missing and endangered children is one of the things we are most proud of.’
The National Guard is a part of 31 state and federal agencies contributing to the Memphis Safe State Task Force.
“We are happy that we have been able to use our fugitive hunting skills to assist local and state authorities with finding these missing children,” said U.S. Marshals spokesperson Emily Williams. “What a testament to our partnerships to be able to work these cases together. While investigative work is tedious, locating missing and endangered children is one of the things we are most proud of.”
One case involved a 15-year-old who had been reported as a runaway on Sept. 1 and had allegedly indicated suicidal feelings. A tipster said that he had witnessed the boy living in a minivan with his father on his property in Hawaii. The property owner tried to kick them out of the location, but the man refused.
Officials said the father had a long criminal history that included domestic violence, abuse, drugs, battery, and burglary, both in California as well as Hawaii. On Nov. 6, the boy was recovered by officials and will be returned to Tennessee.
The dramatic increase in arrests has led to a shortage of space at the Shelby County Jail, according to Sheriff Floyd Bonner.
“When we were notified that the surge was going to occur, we started talking to the national marshals services, telling them that we weren’t prepared for this, but we couldn’t stop it, and we couldn’t delay it, they said it was going to happen,” said Bonner to WREG-TV. “We’ve been scrambling for a month now trying to get contracts signed and going back and forth with attorneys.”
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The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office also confirmed that three inmates had died separately at the jail in just over a week’s time.
Other organizations involved in the task force included the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, Health and Human Services, and the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency.
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