Approximately 74 federal, state, and local officers combined forces this week in Wayne County to seek subjects wanted on outstanding warrants and to conduct searches of high-risk individuals under the supervision of the North Carolina Department of Public Safety. This effort resulted in 30 arrests and 42 warrants served, for a total of 60 charges cleared. Additionally, officers seized two firearms, 178 rounds of ammunition, and quantities of heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana.
Searches were attempted at the residences of 63 probationers or parolees, with 35 searches successfully completed. Fourteen individuals were charged with probation violations.
Participating agencies included the U.S. Marshals Service; N.C. Department of Public Safety; Goldsboro Police Department; Wayne County Sheriff’s Office; N.C. Information Sharing and Analysis Center (NCISAAC); Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina; Wayne County District Attorney’s Office; Wayne County Child Protective Services; and Wayne County Alcoholic Beverage Control.
“We are very proud of the hard work during this operation to enhance the safety of the residents of Wayne County and surrounding areas,” said Robert Pettit, Acting United States Marshal for the Eastern District of North Carolina.
“I would just like to thank all the agencies involved - federal, state and local,” said Wayne County Sheriff Larry M. Pierce. “I think it has been a very successful operation. All agencies worked well together, and over the next several months I would like to see an interagency presence to combat the violence in Goldsboro and Wayne County.”
“The success of this operation from planning to implementation was dependent on many law enforcement personnel from different agencies working together with one goal in mind, to keep the citizens of Goldsboro and Wayne County safe,” said Goldsboro Police Chief Mike West. “I appreciate their continued cooperation and professionalism and look forward to more joint operations.”
“Our partnerships with law enforcement agencies are critical in maintaining safe communities in Wayne County, as well as across the state,” said N.C. Department of Public Safety Deputy Secretary Timothy Moose. “We want to thank everyone in this operation for their hard work and collaboration.”
“I want to commend the United States Marshals Service and our state and local law enforcement partners for their hard work in locating and arresting offenders with outstanding arrest warrants,” said Robert J. Higdon, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina. “That work is important in and of itself. However, the list of items seized as part of this effort reminds us of the dangers associated with any delay in bringing offenders into the criminal justice system. Their work has made Wayne County a safer place in which to live and work.”
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