Yakima, WA - The U.S. Marshals Service Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force (PNVOTF) announced today that Operation Invictus Civitas, Undefeatable Community, made their 200th arrest since launching the operation on June 3, 2019.
While the PNVOTF is not providing the suspect’s name at this time, the suspect had been sought by the PNVOTF for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender by the Washington State Department of Corrections and the Yakima Police Department. The PNVOTF discovered that the suspect was attempting to sell narcotics in Yakima, and an operation was quickly put together with the Yakima Police Department Gang Unit to apprehend the suspect. Instead of selling drugs, the suspect was arrested near the 1700 block of East Nob Hill Blvd with approximately 14 grams of Methamphetamine, 5 tablets of Oxycodone, and drug distribution materials. In addition, the suspect was traveling with three minor children in his car. The suspect was subsequently charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and the children were released to the custody of their mother.
Sheriff Robert Udell, Yakima County Sheriff’s Office said, “Operation Invictus is an outstanding example of what law enforcement can accomplish when we work together to address violent crime in Yakima County. I am proud of what this team has accomplished to make our community safer, and look forward to what we will continue to accomplish."
Operation Invictus is a joint United States Marshals Service, Operation Triple Beam, Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) and Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force initiative geared toward reducing violent crime in the Yakima region. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a national initiative that brings together federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement officials, prosecutors, and community leaders to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in a community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. Yakima County, and specifically the City of Yakima, was selected as a PSN area of focus in 2018 due to its high rates of gang and gun-related violent crime. The U.S. Marshals Service designed Operation Invictus to initiate a community-based, comprehensive, multi-component strategy being implemented over a two-year period.
According to Chief Matt Murray, Yakima Police Department, “Operation Invictus Civitas has been an incredible success. The arrest of the 200th fugitive far exceeds the expectations I had as we began this operation in June. I applaud the hard work of the team and am confident that these efforts are making Yakima safer!"
U.S. Marshal Craig Thayer, Eastern District of Washington, observed that “The 200 violent offenders safely arrested thus far during Operation Invictus Civitas are testament to the dedication and professionalism of the participating law enforcement agencies. Our communities are safer because of this success. We recognize that there are still those who are committing illegal acts against the community, and we want them to know that we are committed to protecting the community from violent crime, during this operation and after".
The PNVOTF is a U.S. Marshals Service sponsored partnership composed of federal, state and local law enforcement officers from Washington, Oregon and Alaska. The primary mission of the PNVOTF is to locate, arrest, and return to the justice system the most violent, most egregious federal and state fugitives. Operation Invictus partners include the United States Marshals Service, United States Attorney’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration, Yakima County Sheriff’s Office, Washington State Department of Corrections, Yakima Police Department, Union Gap Police Department, Benton County Sheriff’s Office, Kennewick Police Department, Yakama Nation Department of Public Safety, LEAD Task Force, Yakima County Prosecutors Office, and Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives.
