Attorney General William P. Barr and U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman announce update on Operation Legend

At a roundtable event with law enforcement in Albuquerque today, Attorney General William P. Barr and U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman announced updates on Operation Legend.

Since Operation Legend’s launch in July 2020, more than 5,000 arrests – including approximately 263 for homicide – have been made; more than 2,000 firearms have been seized; and nearly 22 kilos of heroin, more than 15 kilos of fentanyl (enough to deliver more than 7.5 million fatal doses), more than 130 kilos of methamphetamine, more than 28 kilos of cocaine, and more than $7.3 million in drug proceeds have been seized.

Of the more than 5,000 individuals arrested, approximately 1,057 have been charged with federal offenses. Approximately 568 of those defendants have been charged with firearms offenses, while approximately 411 have been charged with drug-related crimes. The remaining defendants have been charged with various offenses.

In Cleveland, 94 defendants have been charged with federal crimes, including 54 defendants charged with narcotics-related offenses, 36 charged with firearms-related offenses and 4 with other violent crimes. U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman released the following statement:

“Operation Legend continues to send a strong message that law enforcement in Cleveland and around the country will not stand around while our neighbors live in fear of senseless violence. As long as drugs, violence, and illegal firearms continue to harm our communities, we will use our collaborative law enforcement partnerships and any resources available under Operation Legend to fight back.”

The Attorney General launched Operation Legend on July 8, 2020, as a sustained, systematic and coordinated law enforcement initiative in which federal law enforcement agencies work in conjunction with state and local law enforcement officials to fight violent crime. The initiative is named in honor of four-year-old LeGend Taliferro, who was shot and killed while he slept early in the morning of June 29 in Kansas City. 

Launched in Kansas City, MO. on July 8, 2020, the operation expanded to Chicago and Albuquerque on July 22, 2020; to Cleveland, Detroit, and Milwaukee on July 29, 2020; to St. Louis and Memphis on August 6, 2020; and to Indianapolis on August 14, 2020. A breakdown of the federal charges in each district can be found here.