Omaha, NE – A four-month operation led by the U.S.
Marshals Service Metro Fugitive Task Force (MFTF), the Omaha Police
Department, and Lincoln Police Department, to mitigate and dismantle
gang activity in the Omaha metro area has resulted in 231 arrests,
including 144 gang members, as well as the seizure of numerous firearms
and illicit narcotics.
Named in remembrance of fallen officers Deputy U.S. Marshal Paul Keyes
and OPD Detective Kerrie Orozco, a task force officer on the MFTF,
Triple Beam/Operation K.O. was conducted from May to August and focused
on arrest warrants involving gang members, gang suppression, and gang
intervention/prevention.
Keyes, 41, lost a 15-month battle with cancer in February 2018. He was a
team leader on the MFTF and specialized in threat management cases and
protective operations. Orozco, 29, was shot and killed as she and other
members of the task force attempted to serve a warrant on a man wanted
for a shooting in September 2014.
Operation Triple Beam’s mission is to dismantle gangs by arresting
violent gang offenders, seizing firearms, and recovering assets used to
further gang activity.
During the early stages of Operation K.O. the MFTF and OPD were able to
increase the number of arrests for gun related offenses which also
decreased the amount of gun related offenses.
“This operation was dedicated to Deputy US Marshal Paul Keyes and
Officer Kerrie Orozco for their tireless efforts on apprehending violent
fugitives and serving their community,” said U.S. Marshal for the
District of Nebraska Scott Kracl. “The United States Marshals Service is
fortunate to have partners from OPD, LPD, Douglas and Sarpy county to
achieve results that exceeded expectations. I’m confident their efforts
will reduce violent crime and have rightfully lived up to the memory of
Kerrie and Paul.”
Operation K.O. resulted in the following:
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231 state, local, and federal arrests
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144 gang members arrested
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86 firearms seized
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18.997 kilograms (kg) of narcotics seized
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838 Fentanyl pills seized
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$821,774 illegal drugs seized (estimated
street value) -
$48,902 in U.S. currency seized
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3 missing children recovered
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2 stolen vehicles recovered
During Operation K.O., of the subjects who were arrested, 36 were
arrested for assault, 68 for weapon charges, two for sexual assault,
five for failure to register, six for burglary, 53 for drug charges, 15
for robbery, three for vehicle theft, and 32 for other charges.
Notable arrests:
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Maurice Coleman, a documented Flat Land Blood
gang member with a violent criminal history involving assault,
robbery, resisting arrest, and multiple weapon violations, was
wanted for a supervised release violation out of the northern
District of Texas. The OPD Gang Unit used air assets during its
pursuit of Coleman which ended with a safe and successful
apprehension. During the arrest, a missing child was recovered and a
firearm was seized. -
Tommy Meyer was arrested by the MFTF on May
18 for a Nebraska Department of Correctional Services absconding
warrant issued on Feb. 13. Inside the vehicle in which he was
arrested investigators found a total of 11.35 pounds of suspected
methamphetamine and $18,451 in U.S. currency. -
Jose Morales and Pablo Morales were arrested
on May 24 on an attempted murder warrant out of Virginia. After
conducting surveillance on a residence, investigators observed two
subjects matching the description of both men. MFTF members
approached the residence on foot and placed both subjects in custody
without incident. Both were transported to the Douglas County Jail
in Omaha.
Participating agencies: Omaha Police Department (Gang Unit), Douglas
County Sheriff’s Department, Sarpy County Sheriff’s Department, Lincoln
Police Department (Gang Unit), and the Lancaster Sheriff’s Department
Imagery from OTB/Operation K.O. can be found here.
https://www.flickr.com/gp/usmarshals/UtxCj4
Additional information about the U.S. Marshals Service can be found
at http://www.usmarshals.gov.
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America’s
First Federal Law Enforcement Agency