“OPERATION BRIGHTSIDE” - Multi-Agency Warrant Sweep Columbia, MO

COLUMBIA, Mo. - In December of 2024, the United States Attorney's Office established a coalition of Missouri-based federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to form a Violent Crime Abatement Team (VCAT) in response to ongoing violence and gun crimes. The goal of this team is to bring significant, coordinated resources to address violent crime in the mid-Missouri area. In practice, the team works to identify local violent offenders and determine which cases may be appropriate for federal prosecution.

On Nov. 20 and 21, “Operation Brightside” was an enforcement effort to identify, apprehend, and initiate prosecution against some of the most violent offenders in the Columbia metropolitan area. Its mission was straightforward: use existing Missouri law-enforcement resources in a coordinated way to serve warrants across partner agencies, arrest individuals wanted for serious crimes, and identify additional evidence that supports successful prosecution.

Partner agencies in this coordinated effort include:

• Boone County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO)
• Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
• Columbia Police Department (CPD)
• Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
• Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
• Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)
• Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP)
• United States Marshals Service (USMS)

“Operation Brightside is an example of the extraordinary impact that law enforcement, at all levels of government, can have when we combine our resources and focus collectively on violent crime,” said U.S. Attorney R. Matthew Price. “This approach is not new, but rather a hybrid of proven strategies that have delivered results across the country. When we work together, we can make communities measurably safer.”

Price continued, “Violence in our community is unacceptable, especially when innocent people are harmed. Enough is enough. Every agency in this coalition is committed to using all appropriate tools and resource to confront and reduce violent crime in Columbia.”

The following is a breakdown of the “Operation Brightside” effort:

• 33 Individuals Arrested (all but 1 are facing felony charges)
• 19 Federal Indictments
• 21 Felony State Warrants
• 6 Residential Search Warrants

The charges contained in any charging document are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.