U.S. Marshals Service Locate and Rescue 39 Missing Children in Georgia
Thursday (Aug. 27) the U.S. Marshals Service announced the rescue of 39 missing children in Georgia, some of them connected to sex trafficking rings. “Operation Not Forgotten” is an ongoing operation conducted by the Marshals Service to locate and rescue missing children. The Marshals work with state and local law enforcement.
According to reports and investigators, the children rescued range in age from 17 to just 3 years old.
15 of the kids were identified as being victims of sex-trafficking.
“I have children. I’m sure many of you do as well. These are not my kids and these are not your kids, but actually they are our kids when it’s all said and done,” said Donald Washington, director of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Acting Special Agent in Charge, Phil Wislar attends a press conference with our partners @USMarshalsHQ announcing the recovery of 39 missing children in Georgia during "Operation Not Forgotten". Thank you to all our partners involved!https://t.co/CtnXnmbLXW pic.twitter.com/yMC4TIAVKO
— FBI Atlanta (@FBIAtlanta) August 27, 2020
Although locating missing children is a fairly new mission for the U.S. Marshall Department, an Act passed in 2015 called The Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act gave the U.S. Marshals the authority to help law enforcement agencies to recover missing children.
“We’re really good and what we do. You know, they’ve called us man hunters. Well, we’re not just man hunters anymore,” explained Darby Kirby, chief inspector of the U.S. Marshals Service Missing Child Unit. “We also help save and rescue children as well.”
According to U.S. Marshals Service, more than 420,000 children are currently missing in the United States. 91% are believed to be runaways in danger.
As part of “Operation Not Forgotten,” law enforcement officials arrested nine adults, including Zachary Bailey, Stanson Causey, Trevontae Shareef, and Kirk Water.
“Operation Not Forgotten” resulted in the rescue of 26 children, the safe location of 13 children and the arrest of nine criminal associates: https://t.co/a3MeJSfbvk
— U.S. Marshals Service (@USMarshalsHQ) August 27, 2020
