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For Immediate Release |
Contact: |
October 30, 2020 |
Peter
Marketos, Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal Eastern District of Virginia (571) 481-9763; Supervisory Deputy U.S. Marshal Frank Schermer Western District of Virginia (540) 857-4629; U.S. Marshals Office of Public Affairs (703) 740-1699 |
U.S. Marshals Operation Results in Recovery of 27 Missing Children |
Alexandria, VA – The U.S. Marshals in the Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia conducted a significant five-day law enforcement effort, dubbed “Operation Find Our Children,” throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia that resulted in the rescue of 27 previously missing children and confirmed the location of six additional children previously reported as missing and subsequently discovered by the U.S. Marshals Service as being in the custody of their legal guardian. Led by deputy U.S. Marshals from the two federal judicial districts, along with members of the U.S. Marshals Service Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force and special agents, police officers and detectives from numerous federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, more than 60 law enforcement investigators formed the primary team in Operation Find Our Children. They were joined by more than 50 employees from the Virginia Department of Social Services and various medical professions. Subject matter experts at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children enhanced the team. “The Department of Justice is dedicated to protecting the most vulnerable children in our society and ‘Operation Find Our Children’ does just that,” said Jeffrey A. Rosen, Deputy Attorney General. “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.” “I can think of no more critical or satisfying mission for a law enforcement officer, than rescuing an endangered child,” said Nick E. Proffitt, U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of Virginia. “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. 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,” said Thomas
L. Foster, U.S. Marshal for the Western District of Virginia. “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 “What a tremendous testament to the power of
cooperation and the mission of federal, state, and local “There is no greater mission for law enforcement
than rescuing an endangered child,” Acting U.S. “The National Center for Missing and Exploited
Children was pleased to support the U.S. Marshals Significant assistance for Operation Find Our
Children was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for “Virginia Department of Social Services
prioritizes and supports the safety and well-being of the The U.S. Marshals Service is leading the way in a
nationwide effort to rescue and recover missing and Additional information about the U.S. Marshals Service can be found at http://www.usmarshals.gov. #### |