140 Arrested in U.S. Marshals’ Arizona Fugitive Gang Enforcement Op

Deputy U.S. Marshals from the District of Arizona arrested 140 people in August and September during a violent gang enforcement operation. Deputies executed “Operation Snake Eyes” in the Phoenix metropolitan area.

U.S. Marshals Service deputies carried out a six-week operation beginning on August 10 in the Phoenix area to target violent fugitives and gang members, AZFamily.com reported. Operation Snake Eyes (OSE) led to the arrest of 140 fugitives, including 51 gang members, and the seizure of a large number of firearms and cash.

“One issue that most people will agree with while debating police issues, is that those who intentionally and indiscriminately cause harm, murder, and terrorize citizens should be a priority of the criminal justice system. Operation Snake Eyes focused on gang members, violent criminals, and communities with a high degree of violent gun-related crimes,” United States Marshal for the District of Arizona David Gonzales said in a written statement. “This evidence-based approach to violent crime has shown to be an effective strategy in reducing crime and helping in make our communities safer.”

The operation focused on what Gonzales called “the worst of the worst,” KTAR News reported.

“The success of Operation Snake Eyes is a testament to the hard work and collaborative effort of our law enforcement partners,” United States Attorney for the District of Arizona Michael Bailey said in a written statement. “As prosecutors, we are proud to serve alongside these dedicated men and women, as well as our colleagues at the MCAO, in seeking justice against gang members and violent offenders in our state.”

Law enforcement agencies including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Arizona Department of Public Safety, and police detectives from the cities of Phoenix, Glendale, Mesa, and Tempe, teamed up to arrest 140 violent fugitives and seize 131 firearms, $145,831 in cash, and 3,027 counterfeit fentanyl pills, according to a report from ABC15.

“Investigations like these bring so many partners together to address common crime trends in each of our cities,” Phoenix Police Chief Jerry Williams told reporters. “Police officers are being used for demonstrations and protest duty and that leaves some neighborhoods short of police officers to investigate these crimes.”

Officials did not disclose the nature of the crimes allegedly committed by those arrested or their gang affiliations.

Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior news contributor for the Breitbart Texas-Border team. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Price is a regular panelist on Fox 26 Houston’s What’s Your Point? Sunday-morning talk show. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX and Facebook.