Double Digits: US Marshals Arrest More Felons in Montana

Thanks to support from local law enforcement, a US Marshals task force increased the number of felons arrested in Montana by 26 percent.

Here's the full details from US Marshal Rod Ostermiller:

MONTANA VIOLENT OFFENDER TASK FORCE ARRESTS 1,871 IN 2018

The Montana Violent Offender Task Force (MVOTF) had another successful year in 2018.  The task force arrested 1,871 felony fugitives which represents a twenty-six percent increase over 2017 (1479).  The increase in arrests can largely be attributed to the addition of the Great Falls Police Department as a task force member.

In addition to the arrests noted above, the MVOTF was successful in seizing large numbers of contraband:

Methamphetamine      6908 grams

Heroin                         488 grams

Firearms                      36

Vehicles (stolen)         21

In 2018, the U.S. Marshals Service sponsored sex offender compliance operations in twelve counties and on six reservations.  These operations are funded by the U.S. Marshals Service and are executed in partnership with Montana Attorney General’s Office as well as the local law enforcement agency responsible for maintaining the sex offender registry in their jurisdiction.   The operations resulted in 1359 sex offender contacts which represents approximately 50% of all offenders registered in the state of Montana.

*The Montana Violent Offender Task Force is a collaborative partnership between law enforcement agencies at the federal, state, and local levels of government.  Members of the task force include the Billings Police Dept., Great Falls Police Dept., Bozeman Police Dept., Cut Bank Police Dept., Yellowstone Co. Sheriff’s Office, Stillwater Co. Sheriff’s Office, Sweet Grass Co. Sheriff’s Office, Cascade Co. Sheriff’s Office, Roosevelt Co. Sheriff’s Office., Glacier Co. Sheriff’s Office, MT Department of Corrections Probation and Parole, MT Attorney General’s Office, Northern Cheyenne BIA, Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services, Chippewa Cree Law Enforcement Services, Fort Peck Tribes – Department of Law and Justice, and the U.S. Social Security Administration.  The task force is sponsored by the United States Marshals Service.