OPERATION. MATT: OPERATION LEGEND IS MEANT TO HELP KANSAS CITY POLICE GET A HOLD ON VIOLENT CRIME. THIS MORNING, WE SPOKE WITH THE HEAD OF ONE OF THE FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, WHO’ COME TO KANSAS CITY TO HELP. >> WHEN THE VIOLENCE IS AT THIS LEVEL, WE HAVE TO ADDRESS IT IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE IT’S AFFECTING PEOPLE. MATT: TIM SHEA IS THE ACTING ADMINISTRATOR OF THE DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION. HE’S IN KANSAS CITY BECAUSE OF A SURGE IN DEA AGENTS IN TOWN TO CATCH CRIMINALS. >> OUR FOCUS IS ON THE MOST SERIOUS VIOLENT OFFENDERS. IF WE GET OTHERS THAT HAPPEN T BE PART OF THAT ORGANIZATION OR PART OF THAT SWEEP, THEY’RE GOING TO BE INCLUDED IN THAT BECAUSE WE’RE NOT GOING TO IGNORE THAT. MATT: OPERATION LEGEND, NAMED FOR FOUR-YEAR-OLD LEGEND TALIFERRO, WHO WAS SHOT AND KILLED IN HIS SLEEP IN KANSAS CITY, HAS BROUGHT MORE THAN 200 FEDERAL AGENTS TO KANSAS CITY, ALSO EXPANDING TO OTHER ACROSS THE COUNTRY. >> DON’T SHOOT. MATT: BUT NOT WITHOUT PROTESTS. SAYING MORE POLICE DOES NOT EQUAL LESS CRIME. NATIONWIDE, LAWMAKERS HAVE SAID THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS TRYING TO SCORE POLITICAL POINTS BEFORE THE NOVEMBER ELECTION >> THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT, THIS HAS TO DO WITH THE VIOLENT CRIME THAT’S OCCURRING IN THESE CITIES, INCLUDING KANSAS CITY. I MEAN, THE NUMBERS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES. MATT: KANSAS CITY IS ALREADY AT 116 HOMICIDES THIS YEAR. >> WE HAVE TO DO WHAT WE CAN AND WE’RE NOT GOING TO LET POLITICS GET IN THE WAY EITHE
Operation LeGend nets 59 more arrests in Kansas City, federal prosecutor says
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Updated: 10:47 PM CDT Aug 7, 2020
U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison said Friday that 59 additional arrests have been made in the past week by local and federal law enforcement officers in Operation LeGend, for a total of 156 arrests since the start of the operation.Among those arrested since Aug. 1, Garrison said new federal charges have been filed against six defendants, for a total of 17 new federal cases in Operation LeGend. Garrison said all the new defendants were charged with firearms-related crimes. Four of the six new defendants were charged with being felons in possession of firearms, Garrison said. He also said one defendant was charged with heroin trafficking and illegally possessing a firearm and one defendant was charged with participating in a conspiracy to commit armed robberies at several local businesses.Among the remaining 53 arrests in the past week, 35 were fugitives with either state or federal warrants for their arrest, Garrison said. The remaining 18 non-fugitive arrests were referred for prosecution in state court, Garrison said. Garrison said seven arrests were for homicides, for a total of 12 homicide arrests under Operation LeGend. Other offenses cited in the arrests, included assault in non-fatal shootings, drug trafficking, illegally possessing firearms, robbery, bank robbery, child molestation, sexual assault, possessing stolen property and possessing stolen firearms.In addition to the arrests, Garrison said in the past week agents and officers seized 17 firearms – for a total of 52 firearms seized during Operation LeGend. Garrison said a number of stolen vehicles and motorcycles, 210 THC cartridges, quantities of cocaine, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, marijuana and $52,000 were also seized.Garrison said the U.S. Attorney’s Office is not able to track cases that are referred for prosecution in state court. The following defendants have been charged in federal court in the past week:Terrell L. Releford, felon in possession of a firearm;Dustin M. Jordan, felon in possession of a firearm;Zackory Phillips, felon in possession of a firearm;Travis J. Pipes, heroin trafficking, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime;Dylan Pruett, felon in possession of a firearm;Chase M. Murphy, armed robbery conspiracy, armed robbery, brandishing firearms during a crime of violence.Last month, the U.S. Department of Justice sent more than 200 federal agents and law enforcement officials from the DEA, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Marshals office to Kansas City, citing a rise in violence.The operation is named after 4-year-old LeGend Taliferro, who was shot and killed while sleeping in his Kansas City bedroom in June. Before Friday’s announcement, it had netted 97 arrests, the U.S. attorney's office announced last week, citing federal charges in 11 cases. The operation has expanded to other cities across the country, including St. Louis.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison said Friday that 59 additional arrests have been made in the past week by local and federal law enforcement officers in Operation LeGend, for a total of 156 arrests since the start of the operation.
Among those arrested since Aug. 1, Garrison said new federal charges have been filed against six defendants, for a total of 17 new federal cases in Operation LeGend.
Garrison said all the new defendants were charged with firearms-related crimes. Four of the six new defendants were charged with being felons in possession of firearms, Garrison said. He also said one defendant was charged with heroin trafficking and illegally possessing a firearm and one defendant was charged with participating in a conspiracy to commit armed robberies at several local businesses.
Among the remaining 53 arrests in the past week, 35 were fugitives with either state or federal warrants for their arrest, Garrison said.
The remaining 18 non-fugitive arrests were referred for prosecution in state court, Garrison said.
Garrison said seven arrests were for homicides, for a total of 12 homicide arrests under Operation LeGend. Other offenses cited in the arrests, included assault in non-fatal shootings, drug trafficking, illegally possessing firearms, robbery, bank robbery, child molestation, sexual assault, possessing stolen property and possessing stolen firearms.
In addition to the arrests, Garrison said in the past week agents and officers seized 17 firearms – for a total of 52 firearms seized during Operation LeGend. Garrison said a number of stolen vehicles and motorcycles, 210 THC cartridges, quantities of cocaine, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, marijuana and $52,000 were also seized.
Garrison said the U.S. Attorney’s Office is not able to track cases that are referred for prosecution in state court.
The following defendants have been charged in federal court in the past week:
- Terrell L. Releford, felon in possession of a firearm;
- Dustin M. Jordan, felon in possession of a firearm;
- Zackory Phillips, felon in possession of a firearm;
- Travis J. Pipes, heroin trafficking, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime;
- Dylan Pruett, felon in possession of a firearm;
- Chase M. Murphy, armed robbery conspiracy, armed robbery, brandishing firearms during a crime of violence.
Last month, the U.S. Department of Justice sent more than 200 federal agents and law enforcement officials from the DEA, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Marshals office to Kansas City, citing a rise in violence.
The operation is named after 4-year-old LeGend Taliferro, who was shot and killed while sleeping in his Kansas City bedroom in June. Before Friday’s announcement, it had netted 97 arrests, the U.S. attorney's office announced last week, citing federal charges in 11 cases. The operation has expanded to other cities across the country, including St. Louis.
