CLEVELAND — On July 8, Attorney General William Barr announced the launch of "Operation Legend," a joint coordinated law enforcement initiative where federal agencies would work together with state and local officials to fight violent crime.
The initiative is named in honor of 4-year-old LeGend Taliferro, who was shot and killed while he slept in June in Kansas City. Operation Legend was launched first in that city, and later expanded to Chicago, Albuquerque, Cleveland, Detroit, Milwaukee, St. Louis, Memphis, and Indianapolis.
Since the beginning of the operation and through Aug. 31, law enforcement officials say they have made more than 2,000 arrests, including 147 for homicide. More than 544 firearms have been seized and more than seven kilos of fentanyl, 14 kilos of heroin, 12 kilos of cocaine, and 50 kilos of methamphetamine have been confiscated.
In Cleveland, 54 people have been charged with federal crimes and many firearms and drugs have been taken off the streets. Of those charged in the city, 39 have been charged with drug related offenses, 13 have been charged with firearms related offenses, and two have been charged with other violent crimes.