123 Arrests Made in ‘Operation Washout’ in Texas: US Marshals

U.S. Marshals stand on a building as they look out toward the city in a file photo. (Illustration - Elliott Cowand Jr/Shutterstock)

An operation in Texas netted 123 arrests, numerous pounds of drugs, and dozens of guns, officials said.

The U.S. Marshals Service said that between Jan. 5 and Jan. 13 that “Operation Washout,” a 10-day effort, led to “123 arrests, including 44 gang members, the seizure of 32 firearms, $20,400.00 in U.S. currency, and 18.535 kilograms of narcotics,” according to a news release from the federal law enforcement agency.

The sting was carried out around Galveston, Texas.

“Operation Washout represents 10 days of intense effort by a team of law enforcement committed to making the Galveston County community and their residents safer from violent crime,” stated T. Michael O’Connor, U.S. Marshal for the Southern District of Texas. “The success of the operation shows what dedicated professionals can accomplish when agencies work together, utilizing expertise to protect the public from those who dare to endanger their communities.”

Galveston Police Department Chief Vernon Hale noted, “The success of this operation is a great example of what is possible when local and federal law enforcement agencies combine efforts, utilizing data and intelligence, to take those individuals off the street who plague our communities with fear and violence.”

The police chief of nearby La Marque, Kirk Jackson, said that the operation “will demonstrate to the criminal element that there is nowhere to hide.”

Over the past several years, the U.S. Marshals Service has carried out a number of operations targeting criminal gangs and rescuing missing children. On Jan. 23, the agency said that 33 missing children were recovered in Southern California in “Operation Lost Angels.” Reports indicated that the minors were aged between 13 and 17.