US Marshals rescue 27 missing kids in Virginia during 'Operation Find Our Children'



The Department of Justice announced on Friday that the U.S. Marshals had rescued 27 missing children in Virginia during "Operation Find Our Children." The mission lasted only five days, but was able to recover 27 missing kids throughout the state, and located six more children who were reported as missing but were found to be in the custody of their legal guardian.

The multi-agency effort involved more than 60 law enforcement investigators, including members from the U.S. Marshals from the Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia, U.S. Marshals Service Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force, federal and state law enforcement agents, and local police departments.

There were also over 50 employees from the Virginia Department of Social Services, as well as a team of medical professionals and experts from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

"I can think of no more critical or satisfying mission for a law enforcement officer, than rescuing an endangered child," Nick E. Proffitt, U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of Virginia, said. "This operation brought together a formidable team that was, and is, determined to come to the aid of our youth and bring to justice those among us that choose to prey on these vulnerable children."

"I am proud of the Deputy Marshals in the Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia and their partners for the work they accomplished this week – and the results speak for themselves; these 27 children are safe once again," Proffitt continued. "I am deeply humbled and highly honored that our team in Eastern Virginia is a continuing part of this critical Marshals Service mission. We want the missing children across this great nation to know the U.S. Marshals Service will never stop looking for you, we will find you."

"The U.S. Marshals Service has a legendary history of finding fugitives and bringing them to justice," Thomas L. Foster, U.S. Marshal for the Western District of Virginia, said. "Because of this specialized skill set, finding missing children is a natural extension of the Marshal's mission."

"Although many of the 27 recoveries occurred in Virginia's larger population centers, seven occurred in the Western District of Virginia to include Roanoke and Abingdon," Foster added. "This operation brought missing and exploited children to a place of safety and those who made the decision to prey upon them to justice."

"The Department of Justice is dedicated to protecting the most vulnerable children in our society and 'Operation Find Our Children' does just that," Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey A. Rosen said. "While this Virginia operation is the most recent recovery of endangered and missing children led by the U.S. Marshals Service this year, we have also recovered more than 440 kids in Georgia, Ohio, Indiana, Louisiana and other states. Because of this initiative, the recovered children are now out of harm's way."

Last week, the United States Marshals Service announced the recovery of 45 missing and endangered children in Ohio and West Virginia during "Operation Autumn Hope." The operation also resulted in 179 arrests that were made by the Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force.

On Oct. 1, the agency rescued 11 children in New Orleans, two of which were in "extreme danger."

On Sept. 21, U.S. Marshals announced that they had recovered 35 missing children during "Operation Safety Net" in Ohio.

On Sept. 17, U.S. Marshals Service completed "Operation Triple Beam," a 60-day mission to decrease violent gang crime in Oklahoma City. U.S. Marshals made 262 arrests, seized illegal firearms and narcotics, as well as located five missing children,

On Sept. 4, the U.S. Marshals Service said that they had rescued eight "highly endangered" missing children in Indiana during "Operation Homecoming."

On Aug. 27, U.S. Marshals found 39 missing children in Georgia and Florida during "Operation Not Forgotten." Authorities said the children were between the ages of 3 to 17. Of the 39 endangered children, 15 were victims of sex trafficking.

US Marshals recover 45 missing children, arrest 179 in human trafficking sting 'Operation Autumn Hope'



U.S. Marshals, with the help of state and local agencies, rescued 45 missing and endangered children in Ohio and West Virginia during "Operation Autumn Hope."

The Central Ohio Human Trafficking Trask Force, Columbus PACT Unit, and the Cuyahoga County Human Trafficking Task Force also recovered 109 victims, who were referred to social services.

The campaign to locate and recover victims of human trafficking involved over 50 law enforcement agencies and non-government partners coordinated across the state of Ohio. The mission is believed to be the "largest anti-human trafficking operation" in Ohio's history.

Operation Autumn Hope resulted in 179 arrests made by the Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force, many of which were outstanding warrants. There were 22 people who were arrested for allegedly seeking to have sex with a minor.

One of the missing children rescued is a 15-year-old girl from Cleveland who was linked to "other possible victims to an individual in Columbus suspected of human trafficking," according to a U.S. Marshals news release.

United States Marshals Service officers from Southern Ohio and Southern West Virginia worked on the operation. U.S. Marshal Michael Baylous said of the13 missing kids recovered by the Cops United Felony Fugitive Enforcement Division; three of the children were missing from San Bernardino, California, following a parental dispute and found in West Virginia.

The operation was supported by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Michael Baylous, U.S. Marshall for the Southern District of WV, speaks with @HoppyKercheval about Operation Autumn… https://t.co/FagZ2JnZhr
— MetroNews (@MetroNews)1603900210.0

"These predators shamelessly target the most innocent and defenseless members of our community," Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin said. "Operation Autumn Hope is sending a loud and clear message: We are watching, we will catch you, and we will protect our children."

"These vulnerable members of our population usually slip through the cracks," said Sgt. Dana Hess, director of the Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force. "This operation highlighted the vast number of potential victims and allowed law enforcement the opportunity to make contact and link them to services."

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost (R) released a news release about the human trafficking sting.

"The success of Operation Autumn Hope is measured not only in the number of arrests but in the lives that were rescued from this evil," Yost said. "Every agency on this team looks for the day when no person is bought and sold in Ohio. Don't buy sex in Ohio!"

Earlier this month, U.S. Marshals rescued 11 children in New Orleans, two of which were in "extreme danger."

On Sept. 21, U.S. Marshals announced that they had rescued 35 missing children during "Operation Safety Net" in Ohio.

On Sept. 17, U.S. Marshals Service completed "Operation Triple Beam," a 60-day mission to decrease violent gang crime in Oklahoma City. U.S. Marshals made 262 arrests, seized illegal firearms and narcotics, plus rescued five missing children,

On Sept. 4, the U.S. Marshals Service said that they rescued eight "highly endangered" missing children in Indiana during "Operation Homecoming."

On Aug. 27, U.S. Marshals located 39 missing children in Georgia and Florida during "Operation Not Forgotten." Authorities said the children were between the ages of 3 to 17. Of the 39 endangered children, 15 were victims of sex trafficking.

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement engaged in a multi-agency operation last month that resulted in the arrest of five suspected child sexual predators. "Operation Home Alone 2" was able to successfully "target sexual predators who attempted to lure underage children with the intent of engaging in sexual activity."

US Marshals rescue 35 missing and endangered children during 'Operation Safety Net' in Ohio



The U.S. Marshals Service continues its mission to locate missing children. The U.S. Marshals announced this week that they had rescued 35 missing and endangered children during "Operation Safety Net" in Ohio.

Operation Safety Net, a joint investigation by the U.S. Marshals Service and local police in Ohio, tracked down 35 missing kids from the Cuyahoga County area. The lost children, who were between the ages of 13 and 18, were found in Ohio cities, including Cleveland, Akron, and Columbus, as well as Miami, Florida.

More than 20% of the endangered children were tied to human trafficking cases, according to the news release from the U.S. Marshals Service.

"This was new unchartered territory and the first time we conducted an operation like this," U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott said in a statement on Monday. "I am very proud of our law enforcement, community and media partners who worked tirelessly to bring our missing and most vulnerable children to safety. The establishment of a permanent unit in Northern Ohio will ensure that our most vulnerable missing children will continue to be found and brought to safety."

Newburgh Heights Police Chief John Majoy said his department was "proud to assist in Operation Safety Net," and commended the United States Marshals Service for "their hard work and dedication toward locating these children."

"Many times, they do not know they are a victim and this operation offers hope, freedom and safety they would not otherwise have," Majoy said. "This is a fine example of local, state and federal partners all working together for a notable cause. Together we can all make a difference."

Operation Safety Net is still working on five cases that remain open, which will be handled by the Marshals Task Force and local law enforcement in the next several weeks. The missing children they are looking for are Leantwana Bates, 17, Yalonda Bates, 15, Ja-Niya Scott-Lee, 16, Alicia Jackson, 16, and Issac Ortiz, 16.

Following the success of Operation Safety Net, a permanent Missing Child Unit was created in northern Ohio "to focus on those missing, abused, neglected and trafficked juveniles."

In the last four weeks, U.S. Marshals have located nearly 90 missing and endangered children.

In late August, the U.S. Marshals Service located 39 missing children in Georgia and Florida during "Operation Not Forgotten." The Marshals said the children were between the ages of 3 to 17. Of the 39 endangered children, 15 were victims of sex trafficking.

Earlier this month, U.S. Marshals reported that they rescued eight "highly endangered" missing children in Indiana during "Operation Homecoming."

Last week, U.S. Marshals Service wrapped up "Operation Triple Beam," a 60-day mission to reduce violent gang crime in Oklahoma City. U.S. Marshals rescued five missing children, made 262 arrests, and seized illegal firearms and narcotics.

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement participated in a multi-agency operation that resulted in the arrest of five suspected child sexual predators. "Operation Home Alone 2" was able to successfully "target sexual predators who attempted to lure underage children with the intent of engaging in sexual activity."

US Marshals rescue 25 missing children from Ohio, many are victims of human trafficking or prostitution



U.S. Marshals located 25 missing and endangered children from Ohio in the past 20 days of an ongoing operation. U.S. Marshals worked with state and local agencies in Ohio to track down missing children in Operation Safety Net.

The missing children, who were between the ages of 13 and 18, were found in Cleveland, East Cleveland, Euclid, Willoughby, and as far away as Miami, Florida. U.S. Marshals noted that a quarter of the endangered children were victims of human trafficking and prostitution.

"These are kids that have been abused, neglected. Some involved in human trafficking," U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott told WOIO. "Sometimes the situations they—they go to, believe it or not, may be better than the situations they left from. We've had some cases where the mother and or father, or both, may have been prostituting their own child."

"We're trying to do our part. A number of these children have gone to the hospital after we've recovered them to get checked out, so again this is something we take very seriously," Elliott added. "I'll tell you this, it will be something we'll be doing every year. This is our first time we have done this, it's been uncharted territory for us, but we've had great success."

The Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force, Cleveland Division of Police, the Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Department, the East Cleveland Police Department, and the Newburgh Heights Police Department are assisting U.S. Marshals in Operation Safety Net, according to the Mansfield News Journal.

Operation Safety Net will continue for a few more weeks, and it has a goal to find the approximately 200 missing children from Northeast Ohio.

Information about the whereabouts of missing children can be provided at the U.S. Marshals tip line at 1-866-492-6833.

Earlier this week, U.S. Marshals rescued 26 missing children and safely located 13 during "Operation Not Forgotten." The endangered children, who ranged in age from 3 to 17, were found in Georgia and Florida. Of the 39 children, 15 were victims of sex trafficking.

In a separate operation called "Operation Moving Target," 27 men were arrested in Cuyahoga County, Ohio. The men reportedly engaged in sexually explicit online conversations with undercover officers while posing as children, according to Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O'Malley.

During the four-day undercover operation that took place this week, men contacted, who they believed to be minors via social media apps. "The defendants apparently expressed an interest in engaging in sexual activity with the purported children and/or disseminated images of their genitals during these online conversations," according to WKYC.

The men, between the ages of 21 and 61, allegedly traveled to a vacant house in Cuyahoga County, according to the prosecutor's office. When the men arrived at the house, authorities were there to arrest and take them to the county jail.

Several of the suspects had condoms, personal lubricant, sex toys, and drugs in their possession when they were arrested, officials say.

Many of the suspects were charged with attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, disseminating matter harmful to juveniles, importuning, and possession of criminal tools.

Operation Moving Target was coordinated by the Ohio ICAC Task Force, and worked in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Department of Justice, the FBI, the U.S. Secret Service, the Ohio Adult Parole Authority, Ohio BCI, Newburgh Heights Police, Solon Police, Kent Police, Streetsboro Police, Cortland Police, and Cleveland Police.

The suspects include:

  • Rajwant Singh, 44, Mayfield Heights
  • Adam Davis, 41, Painesville
  • Germaine Truett, 38, Cleveland
  • Jason Johnson, 37, Cleveland
  • Ronel Washington, 24, Garfield Heights
  • Hector Pietri, 29, Cleveland
  • Kyle Vansteenburg, 28, Cleveland
  • Raphael Robinson, 26, Cleveland
  • Cory Huber, 32, Elyria
  • Michael Labandano, 39, Lyndhurst
  • Nicholas Cook, 38, Bedford Heights
  • Chazz Johnson-Hawks, 22, Solon
  • Ian Rensel, 43, Bedford
  • Jerry Harris, 35, Westlake
  • Carson Stmisa, 21, Seven Hills
  • Justin Cowger, 22, Cleveland
  • Kim Koran, 61, Cleveland
  • Nathan Troup, 39, New Castle, Pennsylvania
  • Abed Aldur, 45, Parma
  • Arturo Martinez, 47, University Heights
  • Phillip Jones, 30, Streetsboro
  • Keith Kozak, 41, Brooklyn
  • Pedro Correa Jr., 42, Cleveland
  • Ryan Demplsey, 37, Ashtabula
  • Johnathan Smith, 34, Cleveland
  • Robert Spisak, 45, Broadview Heights
  • Jason Schmucker, 37, Canton