BALTIMORE, MD — A three-week law enforcement operation targeting violent offenders across Maryland and Delaware resulted in 109 arrests, federal officials announced Thursday.
The FBI-led effort brought together more than a dozen federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies as part of the agency's nationwide Summer Heat 2.0 initiative to reduce violent crime. Officials said the operation focused on locating and arresting fugitives wanted on serious charges, including attempted murder, armed robbery, rape, child abuse, and firearms offenses.
FBI Baltimore Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul said the operation demonstrated what can be accomplished when agencies work together.
"Together, we made 109 arrests, seized firearms, and removed dangerous offenders from our communities," Paul said during a news conference in Baltimore. "These numbers represent safer neighborhoods, disrupted crime, and families who can breathe a little bit easier."
According to Paul, law enforcement personnel conducted intelligence-driven fugitive sweeps throughout Maryland and Delaware over the past three weeks. Participating agencies included the Baltimore Police Department, Maryland State Police, the U.S. Marshals Service Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force, the Annapolis Police Department, Anne Arundel County Sheriff's Office, and the Maryland U.S. Attorney's Office, among others.
Law enforcement officials said the arrests are only the beginning of the judicial process, with additional investigations and prosecutions expected to follow.
Authorities say Summer Heat 2.0 is continuing across the country as the FBI and its partners focus on apprehending violent offenders and reducing crime in communities nationwide.
This is the second FBI-led initiative in the Baltimore area. Officials at Thursday's news conference said another one happened in January, but without any public acknowledgement.
