U.S. Marshals announce results of operation to reduce violent crime

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MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The U.S. Marshals Service is calling its two-month targeted law enforcement operation a success.

Operation Triple Beam Honey Badger was initiated to find some of Eastern Wisconsin's most wanted suspects and remove illegal drugs and weapons from its communities.

"The focus was to do a very targeted operation that was aimed at removing violent offenders, gang members, illegal guns and drugs off our streets," U.S. Marshal Anna Ruzinski said.

A total of 268 arrests were made, including 86 confirmed gang or organized group members or associates. 

The operation cleared 860 warrants and charges.

Taskforce officers recovered 84 firearms and more than 3,000 rounds of ammunition.

More than 55 kilos of narcotics were seized, including cocaine, heroin and fentanyl. 

"Our taskforce is able to give person power, resources to departments that may not have the resources through their own departments to be able to accomplish the mission," Supervisory Deputy U.S. Marshal Jeremy Loesch said.

The operation spanned from Kenosha to the Upper Peninsula border.

Loesch said a vast majority of arrests were made in Southeastern Wisconsin.

"These are people who do not want to be found," Milwaukee Police Assistant Chief Paul Formolo said.

Local law enforcement agencies gathered some of their most violent cases.

Taskforce officers were federally deputized and able to arrest people in any jurisdiction.

"Those people are hiding out in our communities and frequently committing other crimes while they're still wanted for something," Racine Police Chief Maurice Robinson said.

No one was injured in the operation.

"If the cities that we operate in and work in are a little safer today than they were on May 22, regardless of how many arrests or seizures were made, this operation is a success," Loesch said.

The operation was conducted in Eastern Wisconsin's metropolitan cities from May 22-July 31.

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