HELENA-WEST HELENA -- Local and federal agencies arrested 44 people Tuesday on violent-crime and gang-related charges in the Helena-West Helena area, U.S. Attorney Cody Hiland said during a news conference in the Phillips County Courthouse.
Led by the U.S. Marshals Service, Operation Press Your Luck targeted fugitive gang members and other violent criminals, Hiland said.
The operation, he said, was in response to an "acute crisis as it relates to violent crime" in the area with the goal of providing communities in the Delta immediate relief from such violence.
"Helena has seen some violent crime in the last few months," said Hiland, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas. "They are well on their way to turning this around."
Task forces began their roundup early Tuesday after warrants were issued for 63 suspects. The arrest warrants were for crimes including rape, murder, aggravated assault, kidnapping and sex offenses, Hiland said.
Melvin Jefferson, 30, surrendered Tuesday after spotting the law enforcement officials, Helena-West Helena Police Chief James Patrick Smith said.
Jefferson faces charges of capital murder and attempted capital murder, but it was unclear if his warrant was issued as part of the operation. Officers said Jefferson was one of four suspects arrested in the death of Marvin Perry, 46, who was found beaten Nov. 21 inside a duplex on Memphis Street.
Police said two of the attackers took Perry into the house at gunpoint during a robbery and later struck him several times in the head with a hammer. Perry died at the scene, officials said.
Hiland said Helena-West Helena Mayor Kevin Smith visited his office about a month ago and asked for assistance. That conversation, Hiland said, was part of the impetus for the operation.
"We're trying to bring back law and order to our city and county," said Chief Smith. "Today was a good day."
Hiland said more than 100 officers and leaders from the U.S. Marshals; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration; and the Arkansas State Police participated in the roundup.
Supervisory Deputy U.S. Marshal Kevin Sanders said the agencies spent a month planning the operation.
"We were able to identify with the [Helena-West Helena] chief of police the people on the list," Sanders said. "Something like this, where you have multiple teams from multiple agencies, is a logistic nightmare, but we already had the template because of [Operation] Delta Blues so we were pretty comfortable out there."
Operation Delta Blues was an FBI-led drug-trafficking investigation conducted in 2011, primarily in Marianna and Helena-West Helena. About 800 law enforcement officers rounded up more than 71 defendants named in eight indictments. Among those arrested were major drug dealers and five law enforcement officers. Most either pleaded guilty or were convicted at trial.
Hiland said no lawmen or other public officials were among those arrested Tuesday.
"I can tell you public corruption is always, always a concern for the U.S. attorney's office," Hiland said.
Chief Smith said he had requested assistance from law enforcement agencies for months.
"I wanted to establish a relationship with these agencies," the police chief said. "I think something like this will have a great impact on the area. It lets people know that law enforcement is committed to fixing the problems here."
The main goal was to put pressure on criminals and remind them that law enforcement officials aren't going anywhere anytime soon, Sanders said.
Authorities will continue searching for the remaining suspects.
"We want to let the bad guy know they don't own this town, the citizens do," Sanders said.
Authorities concentrated their efforts in Phillips County and neighboring Arkansas County, St. Francis County and communities in Mississippi, Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal Jay Tuck said.
"That is the great thing about the U.S. Marshals office. We can reach anywhere in the country," Tuck said. "We will find them."
Joann Smith, the mayor of Helena-West Helena for eight years in the 1990s and the mother of current Mayor Smith, said she has watched violent crime escalate in the city for years.
"They are pledged to help us now, and that makes me excited," Joann Smith said. "I have hope. Kevin, he has had a lot to do, but this is No. 1 on his list because people are frightened."
Todd Murray, prosecuting attorney for the 1st Judicial District, said he believes pursuing felons who violate firearm-possession laws and repeat offenders will have long-term effects on crime reduction in the city of approximately 10,000 people.
"I'm excited for them to keep a keen watch on gun crimes," said Murray, whose district encompasses Cross, Lee, Monroe, Phillips, St. Francis and Woodruff counties. "They know how thankful I am for their cooperation."
A Section on 03/06/2019