Operation Legend is a sustained, systematic, and coordinated law enforcement initiative in which federal law enforcement agencies work in conjunction with state and local law enforcement officials to fight violent crime. The initiative is named in honor of four-year-old LeGend Taliferro, who was shot and killed while he slept early in the morning of June 29 in Kansas City.
Since the operation's launch on July 8, 2020:
- There have been more than 2,000 arrests, including 592 defendants who have been charged with federal crimes.
- The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has seized 587 firearms, more than 1.2 kilos of heroin, and more than five kilos of methamphetamine.
- The Drug Enforcement Administration has seized almost 70 kilos of methamphetamine, more than 16 kilos of heroin, more than 7 kilos of fentanyl, more than 12 kilos of cocaine, 268 firearms, and approximately $5.19 million in drug proceeds.
- The Federal Bureau of Investigation has recovered 241 weapons.
- The U.S. Marshals Service has recovered 169 firearms and made 1,810 arrests, including 163 for homicide and 120 for sexual assault.
In Chicago, there has been a 50 percent decrease in homicides in the first seven weeks of the operation, when compared to the five weeks prior to the operation’s launch.
Learn more and view a location-specific breakdown of federal charges in the September 9 press release.
Date Published: September 9, 2020