NEW ORLEANS — After a two-month-long operation headed by the U.S. Marshals, eight children were recovered and 18 sex offenders have been arrested in the Metro New Orleans area, according to the Department of Justice
The operations, called “Return of the School Year” and “NO Saints and Sinners 2021," ran from Aug.1 to Sept. 30 and focused on children ranging from 4-17 years old.
Three children returned home on their own, while three others were found by a task force that works closely with the U.S. Marshals.
Some of the most alarming rescues involved teenagers:
- A teen girl that was on her way to Las Vegas to meet a man she met online. She was found in Phoenix, Arizona.
- A 17-year-old boy and girl ran away together from a foster home and group home. They were found in Columbia, Mississippi.
"Most of the recovered children are battling mental health or drug abuse problems that make them particularly vulnerable to human trafficking," said Deputy U.S. Marshal Brian W. Fair.
Allegations of human sex trafficking of minors involving one or two children were discovered by The Marshals' Missing Child Unit.
During the two-month operation, six adult fugitives wanted by the NOPD were arrested and face charges of sexual battery on a 7-year-old boy and production of child porn with a 14-year-old girl. The other 18 offenders arrested face charges of registration violations.
Multiple agencies besides U.S. Marshals New Orleans Task Force and U.S. Marshals in Mississippi and Arizona assisted in the operations including:
- New Orleans Police Department
- Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office
- Slidell Police Department
- Covington Police Department
- Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office
- St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office
- Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office
- Louisiana State Police
- FBI in New Orleans
- Louisiana Department of Child and Family Services
“This was another example of the results that can be accomplished with continuing law enforcement teamwork," said the top U.S. Marshal in the New Orleans area, Scott Illing.
None of the suspects have been identified in the operations.
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