Nearly 200 people have been charged, over 300 have been arrested and two dozen children have been safely recovered as part of a new federal law enforcement initiative targeting crime in the Chicago area.
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NEED TO KNOW
- Federal officials said 179 people were charged, 305 were arrested and 24 missing children were recovered during Operation New Dawn in the Chicago area
- The roughly 60-day operation involved 11 federal agencies targeting violent crimes
- Authorities describe the special operation as the first “badgeless” operation of its kind in the area
Nearly 200 people have been charged, over 300 have been arrested and two dozen children have been safely recovered as part of a new federal law enforcement initiative targeting crime in the Chicago area.
The news was announced in a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois on July 2.
According to federal prosecutors, “Operation New Dawn" brought together 11 federal law enforcement agencies to target individuals suspected of offenses including robbery, kidnapping, murder, fentanyl trafficking, drug trafficking, child exploitation and other crimes.
In total, 179 individuals were charged across 140 newly filed federal criminal cases. Additionally, 305 fugitives were apprehended and 24 children — many of whom had been kidnapped — were located and safely returned home.
The U.S. Attorney's Office noted that the charges are allegations and that all defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
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Officials said the operation included the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and others.
The operation, which began around May 1, was described by officials as the first "badgeless" initiative of its kind in the Northern District of Illinois. This meant that "multiple federal agencies came together under the banner of the United States flag as opposed to the shield of any agency,” according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
“The success of Operation New Dawn reflects the leadership of the U.S. Attorney's Office and the trust, commitment, and collaboration among our Chicago federal law enforcement partners,” said Christopher Amon, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Chicago Field Division.
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