78 'worst of the worst' fugitives off metro Atlanta streets

ATLANTA - The U.S. Marshals Service teamed up with local law enforcement to remove dozens of dangerous fugitives from the streets of Clayton County and the surrounding metro Atlanta area during a massive three-week sweep.

Massive fugitive sweep nets dozens of arrests

What we know:

The U.S. Marshals Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force recently concluded a targeted three-week effort to capture what officials call the "worst of the worst" offenders. The operation resulted in 78 arrests. Investigators spent weeks building a target list focusing on suspects wanted for murder, armed robbery, and other violent offenses.

During the arrests, authorities seized 46 illegal firearms, 57 pounds of narcotics, and thousands of dollars in cash. Some suspects were tracked down in Clayton County, while others were located in various areas across metro Atlanta.

What we don't know:

Officials have not yet released the names of the 78 individuals taken into custody. It is also unclear how many of those arrested have already made their initial court appearances.

Officials target immediate impact on local crime

What they're saying:

"I think it has a large impact on crime in Clayton County, these were all violent offender arrests," said Adrian Collins, Supervisory Deputy U.S. Marshal. Collins noted that residents will see an immediate reaction because "those individuals are no longer on the street; they’re just not there anymore."

Senior Inspector Frank Lempka of the U.S. Marshal’s Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force emphasized the danger these suspects posed. "There are too many guns on the street and too many drugs on the street because there is a lot of violent crime happening," Lempka said. He added that while many are behind bars, the job is not finished. "There are high profile fugitives in Clayton County and also in other areas around metro Atlanta that were still actively working."

By the numbers:

• 78: Total arrests made during the three-week operation.
• 46: Illegal firearms seized by investigators.
• 57: Pounds of narcotics taken off the streets.
• 90: Days that analysts will spend tracking crime data to measure the operation's success.

Analyzing the data for future safety

What's next:

The Clayton County Police Department will now take the lead on analyzing crime data over the next 90 days. "The Clayton County Police Department will take lead on analyzing the crime data over the next 90 days. And see how much crime has dropped in that amount of time," Lempka said.

U.S. Marshals confirmed they conduct these types of sweeps multiple times a year and are already working to track down the next group of fugitives.