US Marshals high-impact initiative captures 114 fugitives in Milwaukee
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- More than 100 violent fugitives are off the streets in the Milwaukee area thanks to a collaborative effort between federal and local law enforcement agencies.
Operation North Star II was a 30-day effort carried out across 10 cities, including Milwaukee.
The operation focused primarily on fugitives wanted for offenses like homicide, forcible sexual assault, robbery or aggravated assault.
"These fugitives are among some of the worst committing crimes," U.S. Marshal Anna Ruzinski of the Eastern District of Wisconsin said during a news conference Wednesday, Feb. 15.
In the Milwaukee area, Operation North Star II resulted in 114 offenders arrested, 213 warrants cleared -- 11 of which were for homicide -- as well as the seizure of 45 firearms, 9 kilograms of illegal narcotics and $27,600 in cash.
"Good things happen when we work together towards a common cause," Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson said.
The U.S. Marshals pursue fugitives year-round, but initiatives like Operation North Star II allow for funding to be funneled towards a specific effort where the Marshals can work and plan on arrests with local law enforcement, creating time to collect information, plan and execute the arrests.
"These are those types of focused efforts that we are able to come together and again, it's a force multiplier in our respective communities," Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman said.
An apprehension the U.S. Marshals flagged as featured arrest was that of Antonio Jenkins of Milwaukee on Jan. 13 in West Allis. The Marshals said Jenkins was wanted for numerous charges. Police suspect Jenkins of a Nov. 2022 incident where they say Jenkins discharged a firearm into an MPD detective's home, striking the detective's daughter in the leg. At Wednesday's news conference, the Marshals said the incident was not targeted but they suspect Jenkins had connections and conflicts with people in the area.
While officials touted the results of the operation, they noted it is a small part of the wider crime reduction efforts.
"We are not naïve enough to think that this is the answer to ending violent crime but when we can remove some of the worst repeat offenders from the community, we can start to have an impact," Ruzinski said.
The other cities and jurisdictions involved in the operation which in total resulted in more than 900 arrests included: Albuquerque, New Mexico; Buffalo, New York; Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio; Detroit; Jackson, Mississippi; Kansas City, Missouri; Oakland, California and Puerto Rico.