WASHINGTON, D.C., USA — On July 8, 2020, Attorney General William P. Barr announced the launch of Operation Legend, a sustained, systematic and coordinated law enforcement initiative in which federal law enforcement agencies work in conjunction with state and local law enforcement officials to fight violent crime. The initiative is named in honor of four-year-old LeGend Taliferro, who was shot and killed while he slept early in the morning of June 29 in Kansas City.
Launched first in Kansas City, MO., on July 8, 2020, the operation was expanded to Chicago and Albuquerque on July 22, 2020, to Cleveland, Detroit, and Milwaukee on July 29, 2020, to St. Louis and Memphis on August 6, 2020, and to Indianapolis on August 14, 2020.
Since the operation’s launch, through Monday, August 31, 2020, more than 2000 arrests – included 147 for homicide – have been made; more than 544 firearms have been seized; and more than seven kilos of fentanyl, 14 kilos of heroin, 12 kilos of cocaine, and 50 kilos of methamphetamine have been seized.
Of those individuals arrested, 476 have been charged with federal offenses. 249 of those defendants have been charged with firearms offenses, while 185 have been charged with drug-related crimes. The remaining defendants have been charged with various offenses. The breakdown of federal charges is below.
Kansas City, MO.
99 defendants have been charged with federal crimes outlined below.
- 28 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 60 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 11 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
Chicago, Ill.
103 defendants have been charged with federal crimes outlined below.
- 27 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 72 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 4 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
Albuquerque, NM.
35 defendants have been charged with federal crimes outlined below.
- 15 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 14 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 6 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
Cleveland, OH.
54 defendants have been charged with federal crimes outlined below.
- 39 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 13 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 2 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
Detroit, MI.
41 defendants have been charged with federal offenses outlined below.
- 17 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 21 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 3 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
Milwaukee, WI.
15 defendants have been charged with federal crimes outlined below.
- 2 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 12 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 1 defendant has been charged with other violent crimes.
St. Louis, MO.
89 defendants have been charged with federal crimes.
- 44 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 37 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 8 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
Memphis, Tenn.
14 defendants have been charged with federal offenses.
- 3 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 8 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 3 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.
Indianapolis, Indiana
26 defendants have been charged with federal crimes outlined below.
- 10 defendants have been charged with narcotics-related offenses;
- 12 defendants have been charged with firearms-related offenses; and
- 4 defendants have been charged with other violent crimes.