U.S. Marshals nab more than 70 fugitives in Southern Illinois

The U.S. Marshals Service announced Wednesday in Washington that it arrested more than 8,000 alleged fugitives, gang members, sex offenders and violent criminals during a six-week span, including more than 70 arrests made in the Southern District of Illinois. At least 42 firearms were seized in the district during the operation.

The arrests come as a result of its national fugitive apprehension initiative called “Operation Violence Reduction — also known as “Operation VR12.” This is the second year in a row U.S. Marshals have conducted Operation VR12, focusing on the country’s most violent offenders.

The agency issued a press release Wednesday, citing at least two arrests in the metro-east.

Members of the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force arrested Kevin L. Burris on March 2 in Belleville for being a felon in possession of a firearm and for unlawful possession of cocaine, according to the press release. During the arrest, authorities say a loaded handgun was recovered. Burris was arrested without incident.

Authorities also announced the arrest of Jimmy Overturf in Staunton on Feb. 1. Overturf was charged in Madison County on charges relating to attempted murder for an alleged shooting that took place in Granite City. Overturf was reportedly found hiding in the attic of an associate’s residence.

From Feb. 1 to March 11, the agency netted more than 8,000 nationwide. The search was conducted in all 94 federal judicial districts, with a focus on 12 locations deemed as priority cities by the U.S. Department of Justice. Those cities include Baltimore, Maryland; Brooklyn, New York; Camden, New Jersey; Chicago, Illinois; Compton, California; Fresno, California; Gary, Indiana; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; New Orleans, Louisiana; Oakland, California; Savannah, Georgia; and Washington, D.C.

The U.S. Marshals Service used its multi-jurisdictional investigative authority and fugitive task force network to arrest 648 gang members and others wanted on charges including 559 for homicide and 946 for sexual offenses. In addition, investigators seized 463 firearms, $390,360 in currency and more than 71 kilograms of illegal narcotics. Investigators also recovered 17 children who had been abducted and reported missing.

“We applied a strategically focused approach to locate and apprehend the nation’s most dangerous fugitives. By removing these violent offenders from the streets, the communities they preyed upon can immediately feel more secure,” said U.S. Marshals Service Deputy Director David Harlow. “Operation VR12 was about using our expertise and law enforcement partnerships to significantly impact our communities by focusing on the worst of the worst violent criminals.”

Operation VR12 focused on fugitives who had three or more prior felony arrests for crimes such as murder, attempted murder, robbery, aggravated assault, arson, abduction/kidnapping, weapon offenses, sexual assault, child molestation and narcotics. Investigators says they increased their focus on fugitives accused of sex crimes and on the recovery of missing children.

“Fugitives have a propensity to commit violent criminal acts posing danger to communities and plaguing neighborhoods where we live and work.” Harlow said. “Working with our federal, state, and local partners, enforcement initiatives like Operation VR12 severely cripple these criminal activities.”

For more information about Operation VR12, visit usmarshals.gov.

This story was originally published March 24, 2016 at 9:16 AM with the headline "U.S. Marshals nab more than 70 fugitives in Southern Illinois."