‘Worst of the worst.’ 2-county sweep nets 91 violent-crime suspects in Charlotte-area
A top U.S. marshal on Wednesday called them “the worst of the worst,” the 91 violent-crime suspects arrested in a multi-agency sweep July 5-15 across Gaston County and York County, S.C.
“They have the longest rap sheets,” Chris Edge, acting U.S. Marshal for the Western District of North Carolina said at a news conference at the Gaston County Police Department in Gastonia.
“We all know that violent crime is up” locally and nationwide, “and we wanted to do something about it in our communities,” U.S. Attorney Dena King said about the enforcement effort led by the U.S. Marshals Service called “Operation Washout.”
“It’s a problem too large for any one agency to tackle, any one jurisdiction to tackle,” King said, but multiple local, state and federal law enforcement agencies working in concert can make a dent in such violent crime.
Investigators made five homicide arrests, jailed 16 gang members, seized eight firearms and cleared 173 warrants, according to the U.S. Marshals Service.
The charges also included aggravated assault, sexual assault, drug distribution, robbery, child sexual assault and gun crimes, officials said at the news conference.
The enforcement operation particularly focused on Gastonia and Rock Hill, officials said.
Some of the suspects posted bond within hours of their arrests, King acknowledged, but many of them still face longer sentences in the end because of federal charges in their cases, she said.
Edge said the success of the operation “serves as a somber reminder that if you commit a crime” and think you’ll get away with it by fleeing the county or state, you won’t.
“The United States Marshals Service will find you, wherever you hide,” he said.
This story was originally published July 20, 2022 at 2:41 PM.