A series of raids conducted by the U.S. Marshals has resulted in 20 recovered missing children, 16 of which were believed to be victims of sex trafficking.
“Operation Not Forgotten 2021” spanned over a two-week period in the Atlanta metro area and was the third of its kind, according to The Epoch Times.
The office of Georgia’s Attorney General Christopher M. Carr worked with the U.S. Marshal’s Missing Child Unit (USMS), the South East Regional Task Force (SERFTF), the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), and state and local law enforcement throughout the operation.
“Our Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit was proud to again partner with our local, state and federal partners on Operation Not Forgotten 2021, and we appreciate the U.S. Marshals Service Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force for coordinating this initiative,” Carr said in a press release.
“Being embedded throughout the duration of this op allows our prosecutors and investigators to build the strongest possible cases against buyers and traffickers and allows our victim advocate to ensure those rescued get the critical rehabilitative resources that they need,” he stated.
“We will continue to find strategic opportunities like this to recover victims and put criminals behind bars,” he added.
The 20 child victims recovered in the operation, 16 of whom may have been victims of sex trafficking, are not being named.
U.S. Marshals did disclose the name of an individual who was arrested in a raid that stemmed from “Operation Not Forgotten 2021,” however.
35-year-old Wayne Marcell of Connecticut was taken into custody on Wednesday morning and charged with first-degree sexual assault and risk of injury to a minor, while another “trafficked and endangered child,” presumably his victim, was recovered.
“The U.S. Marshals Service in the District of Connecticut would like to commend the hard work and dedication of all the law enforcement professionals involved in this case,” Lawrence Bobnick, U.S. Marshal for the District of Connecticut, said in a statement. “With its nationwide reach and investigative focus, the USMS appreciates opportunities such as this case to rescue innocent victims from their abductors.”
Since 2015, when the USMS began assisting federal authorities with these types of raids, over 1,800 missing children have been recovered, according to the agency.
USMS Chief Darby Kirby touted the model used by his agency for such missions, crediting everyone who worked together in the expansive operation with the recovery of these children.
We praise God for the hard-working men and women of the multiple law enforcement and other agencies involved with the vital mission of recovering children who are victimized in the most unthinkable ways.
Continue to pray that all the children being held and trafficked by some of the nation’s most evil people would also be recovered and their abusers prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
If you appreciate the work we are doing for faith, family, and freedom, please consider a small donation to help us continue. Thank you so much!
