US Marshal got drunk and sexually assaulted woman on transatlantic flight: Authorities



A deputy U.S. Marshal is accused of getting drunk and sexually assaulting a woman during a transatlantic flight.

Citing four law enforcement officials, NBC News reported that the U.S. Marshal was allegedly inappropriately touching a female passenger on the flight from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City to Heathrow Airport in London, England.

A spokesperson for Delta Air Lines also confirmed the incident.

"Due to unruly passenger behavior while in flight, Delta Flight 1, JFK to London-Heathrow, was met by local law enforcement upon landing, and Delta is cooperating with their investigation," the spokesperson told Business Insider.

The marshal is reportedly 39 years old.

The federal marshal — who had not yet been named — was reportedly traveling to London with a colleague to extradite a suspect facing federal fraud-related charges back to Brooklyn, New York.

During the Delta Air Lines flight, the marshal allegedly inappropriately touched a female passenger.

The U.S. Marshals Service said in a statement that the officer had "engaged in serious alleged misconduct while intoxicated on an inbound flight from New York City (JFK) on December 5, 2023."

A spokesperson for the U.S. Marshals Service said that the deputy allegedly “exhibited inappropriate behavior while intoxicated” aboard the flight.

“The U.S. Marshals Service takes seriously any allegations of misconduct by its employees. The alleged actions of the employees do not reflect the professionalism of the thousands of employees of the USMS or its core values,” the statement said.

London's Metropolitan Police said it received a report at 6:30 a.m., and the marshal had been disruptive and "sexually assaulted other passengers and crew."

The suspect was reportedly arrested on suspicion of sexual assault and is still in custody.

Two law enforcement sources claimed the two federal marshals — who are assigned to the Eastern District of New York — had been drinking during the flight.

The second marshal was not facing any charges and was sent back to New York on Wednesday night.

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Dr. Fauci is still receiving taxpayer-funded security and limo — treatment Sen. Paul says is reserved for former presidents



Fox News revealed on Monday that Dr. Anthony Fauci is receiving taxpayer-funded security despite retiring from government service last year.

What is the background?

Last month, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) wrote Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, requesting information "regarding Dr. Fauci’s employment status and receipt of taxpayer-funded benefits." Though Fauci touted his plan to retire from government service at the conclusion of 2022, Paul wrote that "it is not clear if that is in fact the case."

"This raises questions about Dr. Fauci’s current employment status and whether he is still receiving certain taxpayer-funded benefits associated with active public service, such as legal counsel and protective services," Paul said.

What is happening now?

Fox News host Jesse Watters reported that sources told him Fauci was still receiving "'round-the-clock," government-provided security despite now being a private citizen. His staff followed up with the tip, filing a Freedom of Information Act request.

As a result, the U.S. marshals confirmed that, at the request of Attorney General Merrick Garland, Dr. Fauci is receiving taxpayer-funded security, which includes a limousine and "follow car," Fox News reported. Documents obtained through the FOIA request showed that the security detail will last through September 2023, but it may be extended.

It's not clear how much the detail is costing American taxpayers.

Appearing on Watters' show, Paul confirmed the development.

"We asked HHS early in the summer. We asked is he still working and does he have this limo and does he have a driver and does he have a security detail?" Paul explained. "HHS actually came back to us and said they haven't been paying for it since January. But then we discovered that Fox did a Freedom of Information Act and a judge forced them to say that, well, while HHS wasn't directly funding it, the U.S. Marshals were funding it.

"Can you imagine? We asked the government, 'Are you funding his limo and his driver and his security detail?' And they say, 'Oh, we're not doing it; somebody else is doing it and then we're reimbursing them'," Paul continued.

"So it's a terrible example of the government lying to its representatives and to the people," the senator declared. "But also, why is a retired guy, the only retired official I know of that gets this kind of treatment is a former president."

Paul said it remains unclear whether Fauci is also receiving government-provided legal counsel.


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US Marshals locate 225 missing children, including sex trafficking victims, across the nation in 'Operation We Will Find You'



The U.S. Marshals Service located 225 missing children across the nation and beyond during a 10-week operation.

The mission dubbed "Operation We Will Find You," resulted in the U.S. Marshals recovering 169 children and safely located another 59. There were 28 cases referred to "law enforcement agencies for further investigation of crimes such as drugs and weapons, sex trafficking, and sex offender violations."

The youngest child recovered was only 6 months old.

Three missing children were said to be victims of child sex trafficking, child exploitation, sexual abuse, physical abuse, and medical or mental health conditions.

The endangered child operation concentrated on areas with high numbers of "critically" missing children. The operation focused on the following locations: eastern Virginia; Washington D.C.; Maryland; Massachusetts; South Carolina; New Orleans; San Antonio; Detroit; Yakima, Washington; Orlando, Florida; Los Angeles; northern Ohio; Guam; Puerto Rico; and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

There were 10 endangered children who were tracked down in Mexico.

"Law enforcement reported allegations of trafficking in over 40 cases the U.S. Marshals Service assisted with," the U.S. Marshals Service said in a statement. "Of the cases closed, 86% were endangered runaways, nearly 9% were family abductions, and 5% were considered otherwise missing."

In cases of the missing children who were recovered, 62% were recovered within seven days after the U.S. Marshals Service got involved.

“The U.S. Marshals Service is fully committed to the important mission of protecting the American people, especially our most vulnerable population – our children,” said Ronald Davis, Director of the U.S. Marshals Service. “The results of this operation underscore that commitment, but also highlight the necessity of these critical efforts. Our continued success can only be achieved through our collaboration with state and local law enforcement agencies, and partnership with NCMEC. Together, the USMS and NCMEC have recovered over 3,100 missing children since the passage of the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act in 2015.”

The U.S. Marshals Service received support from state and local agencies, as well as the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

"Operation We Will Find You is a great example of how the U.S. Marshals Service continues to prioritize child protection," NCMEC President & CEO Michelle DeLaune. “NCMEC is proud of our long-standing partnership with the USMS and commends them and the participating state and local agencies who helped recover the 225 endangered missing children.”

Last May, more than 150 missing children were rescuedmissing children were rescued in North Carolina, and some were victims of human trafficking.

In March 2022, another 150 missing and endangered children were recovered in Tennessee during "Operation Volunteer Strong," a joint mission by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Department of Children's Service, and the U.S. Marshals Service.

Anyone with information about missing or endangered children should contact their local police department or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-The-Lost.

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US Marshals credit 'mama bear' as 'driving force' in solving cold case murder, assisting in arrest of 'most wanted' fugitive 3,000 miles away



A determined mother assisted law enforcement in making the arrest of an elusive suspect accused of murdering her daughter.

In June 2016, Krystal Mitchell and her then-boyfriend Raymond McLeod went from Arizona to visit friends in San Diego. A friend found Mitchell brutally beaten and strangled to death in a bedroom of the apartment they were staying at, according to investigators.

McLeod, 37, was the prime suspect in the murder of the 20-year-old mother of two and a warrant for his arrest was issued, but he vanished.

The murder case went cold when law enforcement couldn't track down McLeod – a former Marine.

Frustrated with the progress in solving the murder of her daughter, Josephine Wentzel took it upon herself to hunt down Krystal's killer.

Wentzel – who worked in Guam as a former police detective – used her expertise to help authorities locate McLeod.

Wentzel – who has been raising her daughter's two children for the past six years – enrolled in classes to learn how to use the internet and social media to track down people online, according to ABC News.

The grieving, yet determined mother credits her inner "mama bear" for having the passion and persistence to solve her daughter's murder.

"It's not about being a former detective," Wentzel told "Good Morning America." "It's about being a mom. It's that mama bear. It's that mom determination that I gave birth to this child and, so help me God, I'm going to take care of this child until I die."

Authorities believed McLeod fled to Mexico, but couldn't locate him. Law enforcement said there were sightings of McLeod in Belize, Guatemala, and Mexico, but nothing led to his apprehension. He was on the U.S. Marshals' list of the 15 most wanted fugitives.

Finally on Aug. 29, authorities arrested McLeod in El Salvador – roughly 3,000 miles away from the crime scene. He was reportedly teaching English to locals under an assumed name.

"He really laid low and didn't pop his head up a whole lot. He obviously had some training in clandestine operations and things like that that I'm sure he referred to," said Joseph O'Callaghan – chief deputy of the U.S. Marshals Service.

During a press conference on Friday, the U.S. Marshalls Office credited Wentzel for helping them track down McLeod. The U.S. Marshals Service proclaimed Wentzel as a "driving force" in the arrest of McLeod.

The San Diego County District Attorney's Office issued a statement declaring that Wentzel "has been instrumental in helping authorities search for McLeod."

"Wentzel has generated leads for law enforcement and helped spread word about the international manhunt on social media," the statement added.

Wentzel told "GMA," "It was years of hard work, and to be honest with you, I wasn't sure. The most important thing is to get their faces out in public."

Last week, McLeod appeared in court and pleaded not guilty to the murder charge. He was ordered to be held without bond.

Wentzel said, "This is one chapter closed. Now I have another chapter that I have to be involved in, and that's the justice system. I told the prosecutors that I hope they do their due diligence; I'm there to help make sure the case goes through ... and do whatever you can to make that happen because my family deserves that justice like that."

Mom helps police find Phoenix fugitive accused of strangling her daughter to death www.youtube.com

Uvalde mother says cop handcuffed her before she rushed into school to rescue her children: 'Police were doing nothing'



One mother whose children attend Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, recounted on Thursday the shocking story of what happened when she arrived at the school as the gunman was inside murdering students and teachers.

What happened?

After hearing about the active shooter situation, Angeli Rose Gomez, a farm supervisor, rushed 40 miles to the school, where her children are in second and third grade.

When she arrived at the school, Gomez said she was shocked by inaction from police officers.

"The police were doing nothing," Gomez told the Wall Street Journal. "They were just standing outside the fence. They weren’t going in there or running anywhere."

Gomez was one of dozens of parents who rushed to Robb Elementary and pleaded with police officers to enter the school, neutralize the gunman, and save the innocent lives inside. But shocking videos show a massive police presence outside the school blocking outraged parents from doing what police were not. In the case of Gomez, police allegedly detained her.

Gomez said that an officer with the U.S. Marshals placed her in handcuffs, arresting her for "intervening in an active investigation," the Journal reported.

However, she told the newspaper that local Uvalde police officers, whom she knew, freed her. She then scaled the fence surrounding the school, rushed into the building, and sprinted out with her children.

The chaotic scene outside the school, which has circulated on social media, included officers who allegedly used a taser and pepper spray against other parents, Gomez claimed.

What did the US Marshals say?

A spokesperson for the federal law enforcement agency denied that any parent was placed in handcuffs.

"Our deputy marshals maintained order and peace in the midst of the grief-stricken community that was gathering around the school," the spokesperson told the Journal.

Anything else?

Significant questions have arisen over law enforcement's response to the massacre.

Texas police admitted Thursday the gunman entered the school unabated, that he was in the school for up to an hour before police engaged him, and he was actually outside the school firing shots for 12 minutes before he ever entered the school, the Journal reported.

Texas DPS Lt. Chris Olivarez explained on Thursday the large amount of time that elapsed before police engaged the gunman was because responding officers "could have been shot — they could have been killed."

"So they were able to contain that gunman inside that classroom so that he was not able to go to any other portions of the school to commit any other killings," Olivarez said.

'Most wanted' bank robber obsessed with Steve McQueen movie who pulled off historic heist 52 years ago is finally unmasked



A historic bank heist 52 years ago was investigated by two U.S. Marshals — who were father and son — but the bank robber evaded them until his passing. The decades-old cold case in Ohio has finally been solved, but only after the "most wanted" suspect passed away.

On Friday, July 11, 1969, a 20-year-old employee of Cleveland's Society National Bank stole $215,000, which is the modern equivalent to $1.7 million. The bank teller, Theodore "Ted" Conrad, "walked into his job ... [and] walked out at the end of the day with $215,000 in a paper bag and vanished," according to the U.S. Marshals Service. The heist was one of the biggest bank robberies in Cleveland history.

The bank didn't realize that it had been robbed until Monday. When Conrad didn't report to work, it tipped off police that he was the suspect.

Authorities would never track down Theodore Conrad to charge him with the bank robbery. However, law enforcement finally cracked the cold case on Friday — 52 years later.

The bank robber was previously featured on "America's Most Wanted" and "Unsolved Mysteries." Investigators chased leads on Conrad's whereabouts around the country, including Washington D.C., Inglewood, California, western Texas, Oregon, and Honolulu, Hawaii. However, Conrad moved to a suburb of Boston and was living by the alias Thomas Randele.

He set up a new life in Massachusetts, marrying Kathy (Mahan) Randele, with whom he had a daughter. The bank robber became a local golf pro and sold luxury cars.

"He was a fixture in a small town," Cleveland.com reported. "The stolen money didn't last, as he had struggled financially in recent years, records show."

In a statement released on Friday, the U.S. Marshals revealed that Conrad was inspired by the "The Thomas Crown Affair" movie from 1968.

"A year before the Cleveland bank robbery, Conrad became obsessed with the 1968 Steve McQueen film 'The Thomas Crown Affair,'" the statement read. "The movie was based on the bank robbery for sport by a millionaire businessman, and Conrad saw it more than a half dozen times. From there he bragged to his friends about how easy it would be to take money from the bank and even told them he planned to do so."

It is likely that Conrad was so obsessed with the movie that he changed his name to "Thomas," the same first name as McQueen's "Thomas Crown" character in the movie.

Conrad moved to a suburb of Boston, not far from where "The Thomas Crown Affair" movie was filmed. The film was one of the first movies almost entirely filmed around Boston.

One of America\u2019s Most Wanted Fugitives Identified After 52 Years. Mystery solved of Ted Conrad, who pulled off one of the biggest bank robberies in Cleveland, Ohio history.pic.twitter.com/Jg4cbDmkfH

— U.S. Marshals (@USMarshalsHQ) 1636731005

The case went cold for decades until this year when Thomas Randele of Lynnfield, Massachusetts, died from lung cancer in May. U.S. Marshals were able to "match documents that Conrad completed in the 1960s with documents Randele completed, including documents from when Randele filed for Bankruptcy in Boston Federal Court in 2014."

For one U.S. Marshal, the infamous bank robbery haunted his family for decades. Peter J. Elliott — U.S. Marshal for Northern Ohio — was on the hunt for Conrad, as was his father, who was also a Marshal.

"This is a case I know all too well," Elliott said. "My father, John K. Elliott, was a dedicated career Deputy United States Marshal in Cleveland from 1969 until his retirement in 1990. My father took an interest in this case early because Conrad lived and worked near us in the late 1960s."

"My father never stopped searching for Conrad and always wanted closure up until his death in 2020," Elliott explained. "We were able to match some of the documents that my father uncovered from Conrad's college days in the 1960s with documents from Randele that led to his identification."

"I hope my father is resting a little easier today knowing his investigation and his United States Marshals Service brought closure to this decades-long mystery," he concluded. "Everything in real life doesn't always end like in the movies."

Conrad's widow said that her husband was a "great man."

Officials Identify Fugitive 52 Years After One of Cleveland's Biggest Bank Heists www.youtube.com

Horowitz: Leftist judge attacks US Marshals for not disclosing vaccination status, holds them in contempt



Are the U.S. Marshals nothing but slaves to the federal judges they guard? Are there no limits to the power of a judge in a courtroom? These are the questions from a most bizarre blowup in a South Dakota federal court.

The Washington Post reports that on May 10, U.S. District Judge Charles Kornmann of South Dakota, a Clinton appointee, randomly asked a deputy marshal who was guarding his court if she was vaccinated. Aside from this being an extremely inappropriate question, every marshal has been wearing a mask in court, and we are told that masks are effective. The female officer refused to answer the question, and the ungrateful judge summarily ordered her to leave the court. Then, the marshals present in the court allegedly took the three defendants who were scheduled for hearings that day and removed them from the courtroom.

Fast-forward to Monday, and Kornmann unilaterally charged three marshals with conspiracy to obstruct justice and contempt of court. He went on an hour-long rant accusing the marshals of "kidnapping" the defendants. He further asked the U.S. attorney from South Dakota to prosecute the case against them and set a trial date for Sept. 13.

In a May 19 order, this pompous judge charged that the marshals "could well be the most dangerous people in the courtroom in a given case."

"I do not know the answer to that as I have no information since deputies, with the encouragement and full support of their supervisors, are refusing to tell me whether they have been vaccinated or not," wrote Kornmann following the incident in May.

The three accused of contempt are John Kilgallon, chief of staff for the U.S. Marshals Service in Washington, D.C., Daniel Mosteller, the marshal for the District of South Dakota, and Stephen Houghtaling, the chief deputy for that district. Last month, Mosteller wrote in a letter to Kornmann, "Compelling individuals to be vaccinated or delving into their rationale/reasoning for not being vaccinated is very problematic."

But who judges the judge? How can a judge act so inappropriately to those protecting him and then seek to prosecute them without a prosecutor when he doesn't like their response? Can others in the courtroom ask whether the judge has engaged in unprotected sex before or whether he has syphilis, AIDS, or herpes? Maybe he is a threat to others in the courtroom. The point is he has no right to insult members of a separate branch of government and then complain about reprisal.

People often forget that federal judges have no police force. Both the prosecutor and the U.S. Marshals (who are the police force, in part, for the judiciary) are members of the federal executive branch, not the judiciary. The same Judiciary Act of 1789 that created the federal judiciary also created the U.S. Marshals within the executive branch. Thus, the Marshals are as old as they are independent from control of the judiciary. They work for the president at the behest of congressional statutes, not for the federal judges. Rule 4.1 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure specifically designates the U.S. Marshals as responsible for processing an order committing a person for civil contempt. Consequently, if the president or his designated officers disagree with such an order, he can direct the Marshals to stand down.

This is exactly what Alexander Hamilton meant when he stated in Federalist #78 that judges have "neither force nor will" and that the court must "ultimately depend upon the aid of the executive arm even for the efficacy of its judgments." This is a feature, not a bug, of the system.

Our founders understood the power of a judicial order and wanted to ensure that the force behind its implementation was left in the hands of a separate branch of government. A president is elected by the people through the states, and Congress is governed by 535 individuals in a bicameral arrangement. They all stand for election. Federal judges are life-tenured and do not stand for re-election. The founders didn't want a single unelected federal judge to simply rule by fiat, which is why the U.S. Marshals, a part of the executive branch, ultimately serve as the police force for the judiciary. When a judge is out of line, it's up to the attorney general, and ultimately the president, to decide whether to give effect to a judicial order.

Our founders designed the system that way on purpose. Because judges are unelected and life-tenured, to provide them with any enforcement power would have been antithetical to the principles of republicanism. The founders gave the power of enforcement to the executive branch and the power of the purse to the legislative branch to check the judicial power, the same way the power to decide individual cases under the law was given to the judicial branch to check the other branches.

In this case, we have a judge who violates privacy rights, as well as the plain meaning of the Emergency Use Authorization statute, which ensures that experimental medical devices or drugs must remain optional. Last month, the judge ordered that all unvaccinated marshals must wear N-95s in his courthouse all day. But this is not his courthouse, and the marshals don't technically work for him. Out of courtesy, over the years, they have deferred to the local judge for guidance on logistical matters, but ultimately they answer to the president and Congress. A federal judge does not have the power to dehumanize those who protect him and make them work under inhumane conditions.

Somehow, these pompous judges think they can wield political power as unelected officials that no single elected official holds. Kornmann has already publicly criticized Governor Kristi Noem for doing "little, if anything, to curtail the spread of the virus." But the twisted irony of his vaccine obsession is that a vaccine doesn't hinge upon public orders to be effective. If his vaccine is so efficacious that it's worth humiliating those who protect him in order to mandate it, then that means it truly is very effective and will protect him or anyone else vaccinated, regardless of the vaccination status of others.

If Kornmann wants to get involved in the politics of COVID, then why not run for office in South Dakota? Challenge the governor or one of the senators if you wish to mandate vaccines. But he knows that he could never get elected as a leftist Democrat in South Dakota, so he seeks to circumvent the democratic process.

The question now is whether President Biden will stand up for a respected branch of his own administration and actually show this rogue judge who is boss. It would be a terrific bipartisan opportunity for Congress to get together and impeach this judge and take a stand for our marshals who risk their lives every day for these judges. It's amazing how the same people who are so truculent in wielding their stick of power over helpless citizens suddenly become impotent to check the power of unelected judges who lack any stick whatsoever.

VIDEO: Woke protester so concerned about fatally shot man he's protesting for that he forgets his name



In case there's any remaining doubt that some woke mouthpieces are far more interested in the acts of protesting and rioting than the people they're supposedly standing up for, let's have a look at a video of one protester who hit the streets of Minneapolis Thursday night after U.S. marshals fatally shot 32-year-old Winston Boogie Smith, who was wanted for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Unfortunately, the guy who was protesting for Smith couldn't remember his name.

'I'm not gonna lie...'

The clip begins with the unnamed fellow saying off camera as a fire rages nearby, "Like, talk all that s**t ... show, like, hold that space obviously for [pause] I'm not gonna lie, I forgot his name, but like —"

"Winston Smith," someone interjects.

"Winston Smith, thank you," the protester continues, his memory restored.

He then adds without a hint of shame that "we here, you know, showin' solidarity for Winston Smith and, uh, I didn't even know about it, like, I don't think any, like, f***in' media knows about this s**t, either. So just so y'all know, the person that was shot up in there, his name is Winston Smith. Don't forget that name: Winston Smith. Say his name, make sure y'all remember this s**t because we're gonna fight for him just the same f***in' way we fought for George Floyd."

Don't forget that name, eh? One wonders if the guy spent any time afterward practicing what he preached.

Content warning: Lots of profanity; not a lot of brains:

"Not gonna lie, I forgot his name," Antifa activist can't remember who he's out protesting for in Minneapolis. https://t.co/EqbFig7xFP

— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) 1622812431.0

What are the details of the shooting?

According to WCCO-TV, the shooting occurred about 2:10 p.m. Thursday at a parking ramp where the marshals' task force, in several vehicles, confronted a man sitting with a woman in a parked car.

Image source: WCCO-TV video screenshot

The man wouldn't surrender and pulled out a gun, officials told the station, after which multiple task force members opened fire.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, which WCCO said is leading the investigation in this case, indicated that a Hennepin County sheriff's deputy and a Ramsey County sheriff's deputy working on the task force hit Smith with gunfire.

BCA added to the station that evidence indicates Smith fired his gun from inside the car and a handgun was recovered at the scene. WCCO reported that spent cartridge cases were found inside the driver's compartment.

Smith died despite lifesaving measures performed at the scene, the station said, adding that his 27-year-old passenger was hurt by flying glass and treated at a hospital.

The Minneapolis Police Department told WCCO that it was not involved in the shooting.

More from the station:

According to information WCCO has gathered, Smith was convicted of aggravated robbery in 2017, received a stayed prison sentence and was put on probation. Smith also had a felony conviction out of Ramsey County for firearm possession in which he failed to appear for sentencing on May 19. As a result this warrant for his arrest was issued.

The U.S. Marshals Service does not allow for body cameras to be used for officers on its North Star Fugitive Task Force. BCA says there is no squad car footage of the incident.

Anything else?

WCCO added that during the unrest that followed the shooting at least one dumpster fire was seen on a street and several store windows were broken as police in riot gear patrolled the area.

Image source: WCCO-TV video screenshot

Image source: WCCO-TV video screenshot

The station added that arrests were made but couldn't confirm how many.

More than 150 missing children found in North Carolina operation, some victims of human trafficking



More than 150 missing children were rescued in North Carolina, and some were victims of human trafficking. Over 130 missing and runaway juveniles were recovered with the assistance of the United States marshals in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg area after a monthslong investigation.

Another 27 "critically missing juveniles" were located during "Operation Carolina Homecoming," a joint effort between Charlotte-Mecklenburg police and federal agents. Between April 26 and May 7, collaborative teams of detectives from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department's Missing Person Unit, U.S. Marshal Service deputies, and the Department of Public Safety Missing Persons Unit conducted extensive searches to recover "especially difficult to find juveniles." Previous efforts to locate the missing children had been unsuccessful, the city of Charlotte acknowledged in a news release.

Several of the minors had been engaged in high-risk activities such as prostitution and involvement in illegal drugs. CMPD said the minors were mostly between the ages of 14 to 18.

Some of the missing children were victims of human trafficking. CMPD officials are investigating the cases of child trafficking, and will arrest anyone who committed crimes involving the endangered children.

"Kids don't need to be living alone in hotels, kids don't need to be living alone with an older partner," CMPD Captain Joel McNelly said, according to WCNC-TV. "People who do this are looking for people vulnerable people who have bad home lives and are looking for something else -- people easily manipulated."

McNelly said there were some minors who were "actively taking measures to avoid being recovered," adding, "They're self-sustaining, they're trying to make money, support themselves."

"These kids come from traumatic backgrounds, potentially abusive households, drug and alcohol addiction, incarcerated parents," said McNelly, who is part of the CMPD's Violent Crimes Division. "We're proud of what we were able to do for the community through this."

The recovered minors were provided with resources from Atrium Health Levine Children's Hospital, Pat's Place Child Advocacy Center, the North Carolina ISAAC Fusion Center, and Mecklenburg County Child Protective Services.

"Even if a kid goes out there with good intentions that they're going to stay on the straight and narrow, it doesn't take very long to get cold and hungry and succumb to the pressure of somebody who knows just how to time their effort into manipulate you into activity you maybe otherwise wouldn't have wanted to be apart of," said Dr. Stacy Reynolds with Atrium Health Levine Children's Hospital.

In March, there were 150 missing and endangered children recovered in Tennessee during "Operation Volunteer Strong," a joint mission by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Department of Children's Service, and the U.S. Marshals Service.

In February, "Operation Broken Hearts" resulted in 37 people being arrested in the Phoenix area for alleged child sex crimes and human trafficking.

In January, "Operation Reclaim & Rebuild" ended in the apprehension of 64 suspects for alleged sex crimes in Riverside, California.

Also in January, which is National Human Trafficking Awareness Month, a multi-agency human trafficking investigation led by the FBI known as "Operation Lost Angels" resulted in the rescue of 33 missing children in California.

CMPD Weekly Briefing - May 19, 2021 www.youtube.com

Illegal immigrant from Mexico wanted for raping two young girls shot, killed by police in Texas



A previously deported illegal immigrant who was a wanted man for felony charges of rape involving two young children was reportedly shot and killed by police in Texas this week.

Juan Jimenez-Salas, 46, was accused of repeatedly molesting the two young daughters of his Arkansas girlfriend, authorities said. The father of the girls, both under the age of 10, informed authorities in November that he suspected that Jimenez-Salas was sexually abusing the girls, who are 6 years old and 8 years old. The young sisters allegedly told their father that while traveling with their mother they were raped at a hotel room in McKinney, Texas, Captain Scott Harwell with the El Dorado Police Department in Arkansas told KDFW-TV.

A U.S. Marshals task force got involved with the investigation of Jimenez-Salas, who was wanted on 11 felony charges, including five counts of rape and six counts of indecency with a child.

"Approximately 20 years ago, he was arrested on felony charges similar to that on what we have on him in this case now," Capt. Harwell said. "And he was deported back to Mexico."

On Friday, law enforcement used the GPS on the phone of Jimenez-Salas to track down the illegal alien from Mexico in Tarrant County, Texas. Capt. Harwell said, "We lucked up and had a phone number that we were able to track and in that lead gave us information tying us to Arlington, Texas."

Local police officers in Arlington who were assigned to the U.S. Marshals North Texas Fugitive Task Force conducted a traffic stop on Jimenez-Salas after he purportedly committed a traffic violation. Jimenez-Salas allegedly pointed a handgun at an Arlington police officer, who reacted by shooting and killing the armed man.

Authorities say the armed fugitive shot and killed by an Arlington police officer Thursday was an illegal immigrant… https://t.co/d98Wvz1V06
— FOX 4 NEWS (@FOX 4 NEWS)1616205604.0

The Arlington Police Department wrote on Twitter, "The officer discharged his duty gun and struck the suspect. The man was pronounced deceased at the scene. It is unclear why the suspect wanted in Arkansas was in Arlington. We are thankful no innocent community members or officers were injured."

The officer discharged his duty gun and struck the suspect. The man was pronounced deceased at the scene. It is unc… https://t.co/ew5Z9U6glW
— Arlington Police, TX (@Arlington Police, TX)1616119598.0

Both girls were reportedly safe with their father in North Texas. The whereabouts of their mother are unknown, but authorities said she was notified of her boyfriend's death.