photo by US Federal Marshall’s Bennie J. Davis III

The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), along with federal, state, and local agencies led a six-week national operation that resulted in finding 200 critically missing children, which includes endangered runaways and those abducted by noncustodial persons.

This is the second rendition of this coordinated effort, and so it was called Operation We Will Find You 2 (WWFY2). Running from May 20 to June 24 it focused on geographical areas with high clusters of missing children.

WWFY2 resulted in the recovery and removal of 123 children from dangerous situations. An additional 77 missing children were located and found to be in safe locations, according to law enforcement or child welfare agencies. The vast majority of these were runaway children, one case was a family abduction, and one was a non-family abduction.

The “dangerous situations” involved human trafficking, captivity by family relations, or situations of sexual exploitation, some involuntarily and others violently.

“One of the most sacred missions of U.S. Marshals Service is locating and recovering our nation’s critically missing children,” said USMS Director Ronald L. Davis on completion of the case. “This is one of our top priorities as there remain thousands of children still missing and at risk.”

Some of the most notable and frightening cases can be read on the USMS release of the operation, and included kidnapping in Michigan, human trafficking in Miami-Dade, sex trafficking in Arizona, familial kidnapping in Oregon, and potential infanticide in North Carolina.

SIMILAR NATIONWIDE BUSTS: Significant Blow to the Illegal Pet Trade: Big Bust Rescues Dozens of Lemurs and Tortoises

The Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015 enhanced the USMS’ responsibility in locating missing children by removing the need for there to be an offender or fugitive known to be connected to the case.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: FBI Cracks Down on Rental Price-Fixing Scheme, Raiding Company That Uses Software to Raise Cost of Housing

“There are no words to describe the terror felt by missing children, their families, and their communities,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “I am grateful to the dedicated professionals of the U.S. Marshals Service and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children who worked to find 200 critically missing children during this six-week operation.

SHARE The Great Success Of Operation We Will Find You 2 On Social Media… 

4 COMMENTS

  1. ‘These so-called dangerous situations involved human trafficking, captivity by family relations, or situations of sexual exploitation, some involuntarily and others violently.’

    ‘SO-CALLED’??!! Sure sounds like dangerous and highly undesirable situations to ME! If the author believes that these were NOT dangerous, then I invite him/her to allow his/her beloved children or relatives thereof to experience the above and then not call the situations ‘dangerous.’ Smdh…

    • I’m sorry it sounded like that. I’m going to edit that bit. I think what the author was getting at is that many abductions are carried out by family members (and are not dangerous, per se.)

  2. 1. Great article;
    2. Agree “so-called” sounded passive/unsure . . . but the article gave “muscle” to the life-changing accomplishments of the U.S. Marshals Service and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children;
    3. Agencies collaborating . . . out-of-the spotlight, but getting the job done lifted my spirits.

    Thank You

Leave a Reply