225 missing children found in 10-week operation, say authorities.

U.S. Marshals Recover 225 Missing Children in National Operation

The U.S. Marshals Service announced on Wednesday that they have successfully recovered 225 missing children, some as young as six months old, who were victims of child sex trafficking and other forms of exploitation and abuse. This was all part of a 10-week national operation called “Operation We Will Find You.”

Working in partnership with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and state and local agencies in 16 federal districts across the U.S., the operation resulted in the recovery of 169 children and the safe location of 56 children who went missing as runaways or were abducted by noncustodial parents.

“These missing children were considered some of the most challenging recovery cases in the area, based on indications of high-risk factors such as victimization of child sex trafficking, child exploitation, sexual abuse, physical abuse, and medical or mental health conditions,” officials said in a news release.

The agency’s data shows that 86% of the children were runaways, 9% were family abductions, and 5% were considered otherwise missing. Federal authorities referred 28 cases related to drug and weapons possession, sex trafficking, and failing to register as a sex offender.

Reuniting Families and Protecting Children

Michelle DeLaune, NCMEC president & CEO, praised the operation, saying, “Operation We Will Find You is a great example of how the U.S. Marshals Service continues to prioritize child protection.”

During the operation, authorities found 42 children outside the city where they went missing, and ten children were found outside of the United States in Mexico. Over 20 cases originated from the Eastern District of Washington, with 16 of those children being recovered and returned to their families.

“Reuniting missing children with loved ones and connecting them with appropriate services is a mission in which the United States Marshals Service takes great pride,” said U.S. Marshal Craig Thayer.

Authorities also located and arrested a Top 15 Most Wanted Couple that had fled to Mexico from Washington with their five children, who they had taken into hiding.

Since 2015, the U.S. Marshals Service and NCMEC have located over 3,100 missing children after lawmakers passed the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act, which increased the U.S. Marshals Service’s ability to assist law enforcement agencies in recovering endangered missing children regardless of whether a fugitive or sex offender was involved.

“The U.S. Marshals Service is fully committed to the important mission of protecting the American people, especially our most vulnerable population – our children,” Ronald Davis, director of the Marshals Service, said in a news release.

Operation We Will Find You

The success of “Operation We Will Find You” is a testament to the dedication and hard work of the U.S. Marshals Service, NCMEC, and all the state and local agencies involved. By reuniting missing children with their families and bringing perpetrators to justice, they are making a real difference in the fight against child sex trafficking and exploitation.