Operation LeGend, a federal law enforcement initiative that included Memphis, resulted in 266 local arrests, confiscation of more than 200 guns and the seizure of thousands of grams of illegal drugs.

The initiative to fight violent crime, named for 4-year-old LeGend Taliferro of Kansas City, Missouri, launched in Memphis Aug. 6 and brought 40 federal agents to town to work with local police. 

Federal crime initiative results in more than 60 local arrests, AG William Barr says

Memphis was one of nine cities included in the initiative. Among the other cities were Kansas City, Milwaukee and St. Louis.

The U.S. Department of Justice says more than 6,000 were arrested in all the participating cities, including 467 for homicide. Ninety-one of the homicides occurred in Memphis.

Of the 266 local arrests, more than 120 have been charged with federal crimes including 53 for drug crimes, 46 for gun crimes and 24 for other violent crimes including carjacking, business robbery ad using a firearm during a crime of violence.

A total of 210 firearms were seized locally and $670,270 in drug proceeds was seized, along with 31,063 grams of methamphetamine, 4,665 grams of fentanyl and 5,021 grams of heroin.

Totals for the nine cities included more than 2,600 firearms seized, along with 32 kilos of heroin, more than 17 kilos of fentanyl, more than 300 kilos of methamphetamine, more than 135 kilos of cocaine and more than $11 million in drug proceeds.

“These are outstanding national and local results that have undoubtedly saved lives,” Michael Dunavant, the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, said in a statement. “Although this marks the end of the formal DOJ Operation LeGend initiative, we will continue our targeted enforcement actions and coordination in the future with the federal agents permanently reassigned to Memphis, as well as our LeGend Task Force model.”

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LeGend Taliferro was shot and killed last June as he slept inside his Kansas City home. The initiative named for him was launched to deal with a surge of violent crime in the nine cities.

Memphis ended the year with a record 332 homicides, a 50% increase over last year.

U.S. Attorney General William Barr came to Memphis in October, before he stepped down, to tout the initiative.

AG Barr coming to Memphis to discuss Operation Legend

Barr’s visit was met with protesters, who complained about what they said was a federal occupation in Memphis. The protesters said leaders needed to invest money in intervention programs, including mental health and not more policing.

Memphis police and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office received $11 million for another initiative, Operation Relentless Pursuit, and for Operation LeGend. It represented the largest amount of money received by any of the nine cities from the Justice Department. The money allowed the hiring of 50 officers and the addition of new technology.