U.S. Marshals apprehend 117 fugitives in Brockton, Holyoke, Haverhill, Lawrence, Lowell, Lynn, New Bedford, Springfield, Worcester

Boston, MA – The U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force apprehended 117 fugitives charged with offenses including homicide, robbery, sex crimes, felonious assault, narcotics violations, and firearms offenses. As part of Operation Take Back America, the USMS collaborated with federal, state, and local partners in a high-impact fugitive apprehension initiative.

Named “Operation Spring Cleaning,” the local effort spanned 45 days from March 31 to May 30, 2025, targeting fugitives and violent offenders in nine Massachusetts metropolitan areas: Brockton, Holyoke, Haverhill, Lawrence, Lowell, Lynn, New Bedford, Springfield, and Worcester. During the operation, authorities seized nine firearms, 544 rounds of ammunition, and 188 grams of narcotics. These areas were identified as high-crime zones by Project Safe Neighborhoods, a U.S. Department of Justice initiative launched in 2001 to reduce violent crime, particularly gun violence, through collaborative, data-driven strategies involving law enforcement and community partners.

The operation also focused on individuals linked to Drug Trafficking Organizations and Transnational Criminal Organizations. A notable arrest involved an MS-13 gang member wanted by Worcester Superior Court for murder and carrying a loaded firearm without a license. With a criminal history including assaults and weapon charges, he had been a fugitive since June 2024. On May 30, 2025, he was arrested in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, by the USMS Massachusetts and Rhode Island Fugitive Task Forces, Worcester Police Department, Massachusetts State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section, and Pawtucket Police Department.

“The success of this operation reflects the dedication and teamwork of our local, state, and federal partners,” said acting U.S. Marshal Matt Lawlor. “The USMS remains committed to reducing violence by apprehending and removing dangerous offenders impacting our communities across the Commonwealth.”

The U.S. Marshals Service is the federal government’s primary agency for fugitive investigations, with the broadest arrest authority among federal law enforcement agencies. The agency assists state and local partners in capturing their most violent fugitives. Established in 1999, the District of Massachusetts Fugitive Task Force, based in Boston, coordinates resources from federal, state, county, and local agencies to develop leads, gather intelligence, and apprehend targeted fugitives. Participating agencies include the U.S. Marshals Service District of Massachusetts, Massachusetts State Police, Boston Police Department, Brockton Police Department, Cambridge Police Department, Hampden County Sheriff’s Department, Haverhill Police Department, Lowell Police Department, Middlesex Sheriff’s Department, New Bedford Police Department, Plymouth County Sheriff’s Department, Springfield Police Department, Worcester Police Department, West Springfield Police Department, Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department, Randolph Police Department, Quincy Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives.