Georgia U.S. Marshals rescued 39 children from kidnappers
The two-week rescue operation to find the missing children ended with the rescue of nearly four dozen minors and the arrest of nine suspects.
According to the authorities, the organized criminal group was selling drugs and weapons, and they also targeted the most vulnerable segment of the population for the subsequent resale of children into sexual slavery.
The U.S. Marshals Service Missing Child Unit, in conjunction with the agency’s Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and Georgia state and local agencies performed “Operation Not Forgotten”.
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
According to official information, 26 arrest warrants were issued, 19 of which targeted the nine arrested suspects.
“The U.S. Marshals Service is fully committed to assisting federal, state, and local agencies with locating and recovering endangered missing children, in addition to their primary fugitive apprehension mission,” said Director of the Marshals Service Donald Washington. “The message to missing children and their families is that we will never stop looking for you.”