During a two-week, multi-agency operation, 26 missing children were rescued and a total of 36 were located in Georgia, resulting in dozens of arrests, according to the U.S. Marshals Service.
“Operation Not Forgotten” led to the rescue of 26 missing children -- including 15 victims of sex trafficking -- the safe location of 13 other missing children and the arrest of nine people in the Atlanta and Macon, Georgia area. The children rescued were between 3 and 17 years old.
Recommended Videos
The operation was conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service Missing Child Unit, along with the Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and Georgia state and local agencies.
The operation also resulted in the arrests of 26 others and additional charges for alleged crimes related to sex trafficking, parental kidnapping, registered sex offender violations, drugs and weapons possession and custodial interference.
“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,” Director of the Marshals Service Donald Washington said in a statement. “The message to missing children and their families is that we will never stop looking for you.”
Marshals said some of the missing children were challenging recovery cases in the area, based on high-risk factors, such as victimization of child sex trafficking, child exploitation, sexual abuse, physical abuse and medical or mental health conditions.
Other children were located at the request of law enforcement to ensure their well being. Investigators were able to confirm each child’s location in person and assure their safety and welfare.