Operation Legend in Memphis: 302 arrests so far
A total of 302 arrests have been made so far by local and federal law enforcement officers as part of Operation Legend, according to a press release from D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee.
The operation began in Kansas City on July 8, as an initiative where federal law enforcement agencies work with state and local enforcement officials to fight violent crimes. The initiative expanded to Chicago, Albuquerque, Cleveland, Detroit, Milwaukee, St. Louis, Indianapolis and Memphis.
There have been more than 2,000 arrests across the country from Operation Legend, Attorney General William P. Barr said in press conference today in Chicago.
Between Aug. 6 and Sep. 8 of Operation Legend in Memphis, 106 people were arrested on new state and federal charges, the press release said. Ninety were state charges and 16 people were charged with federal crimes, according to the press release.
The 16 people in Memphis had been charged with the following federal crimes:
• 9 defendants have been charged with federal firearms violations;
• 4 defendants have been charged with violating federal drug laws;
• 3 defendants have been charged with federal violent crimes such as bank robbery, carjacking, and the robbery of a business engaged in interstate commerce.
Multiple seizures were also made. Items seized include:
• 85 firearms;
• 6.3 kilograms of methamphetamine;
• 4 kilograms of heroin;
• $191,645.
The release said the seizure of firearms is significant because of the high use of firearms in murders and aggravated assaults in Memphis.
The release included examples of charges filed as a result of the operation.
In one case Robert Durham in Memphis is accused of committing a series of robberies and is charged with robbing the City of Memphis Credit Union. He was arrested on Aug. 5 in Southaven where he was also charged with driving a stolen vehicle and drug-related charges.
Another case from the release included Dequan Johnson from Memphis who was charged on Aug. 25 with unlawful possession of a firearm by a drug user.
"Operation Legend is leveraging our collaboration between federal, state, and local law enforcement, and is already making a difference in our collective fight against violent crime in Memphis," Dunavant said. "As violent gun crime and homicide spike up, we will meet that threat with urgency to attack the real violent crime drivers in our community: gangs, guns, and drugs."