U.S. Marshals Arrest Over 3,400 fugitives in Operation North Star

(WKBN) — The Justice Department announced on Friday the arrests of over 3,400 fugitives in the latest phase of a high-impact fugitive apprehension initiative called Operation North Star FY 2024 (ONS FY24).

From May 10 to Sept. 13, enforcement agencies targeted 10 metropolitan areas, focusing on violent offenders wanted on warrants for homicide, sexual offenses, robbery, aggravated assault, and firearms violations.

The 10 metropolitan areas included Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas; Charleston and North Charleston, South Carolina; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Little Rock, Arkansas; Phoenix; St. Louis (to include East St. Louis, Illinois); Birmingham, Alabama; Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Dayton, Ohio; and San Antonio.

During the operation, investigators also seized 534 firearms, more than $508,000 in U.S. currency, and 456 kilograms of illegal narcotics, including 138 pounds and over 550,000 pills of deadly fentanyl.

“We first launched Operation North Star in 2022 to identify and apprehend the most dangerous fugitives and violent offenders,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in a news release. “From May to September of this year, the U.S. Marshals Service worked with state and local law enforcement partners in 10 metropolitan areas to arrest more than 3,400 fugitives and violent offenders and seize large quantities of firearms and fentanyl. I am deeply grateful to every Deputy U.S. Marshal, Task Force Officer, investigator, and police officer who carried out these arrests, and who did so at great risk to themselves.”

Since July 2022, in a total of 30 locations, USMS Operation North Star initiatives have resulted in the apprehension of more than 10,200 wanted fugitives, including 1,153 charged with homicide, in addition to the removal of more than 1,425 weapons associated with violent crime.

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