City Of Omaha: Hundreds Arrested In Gang ...

Press release from the City of Omaha:

September 28, 2021

A four-month operation led by the U.S. Marshals Service Metro Fugitive Task Force, the Omaha Police Department, and Lincoln Police Department, to mitigate and dismantle gang activity in the Omaha metro area has resulted in 231 arrests, including 144 gang members, and the seizure of numerous firearms and illicit narcotics.

Named in remembrance of fallen officers Deputy U.S. Marshal Paul Keyes and OPD Detective Kerrie Orozco, a task force officer on the task force, Triple Beam/Operation K.O. was conducted from May to August and focused on arrest warrants involving gang members, gang suppression, and gang intervention/prevention.

Keyes, 41, lost a 15-month battle with cancer in February 2018. He was a team leader on the Metro Fugitive Task Force and specialized in threat management cases and protective operations. Orozco, 29, was shot and killed as she and other members of the task force attempted to serve a warrant on a man wanted for a shooting in September 2014.

Operation Triple Beam’s mission is to dismantle gangs by arresting violent gang offenders, seizing firearms, and recovering assets used to further gang activity. During the early stages of the operation, the Metro Fugitive Task Force and OPD increased the number of arrests for gun-related offenses which also decreased the amount of gun related offenses. “This operation was dedicated to Deputy US Marshal Paul Keyes and Officer Kerrie Orozco for their tireless efforts on apprehending violent fugitives and serving their community,” said U.S. Marshal for the District of Nebraska Scott Kracl. “The United States Marshals Service is fortunate to have partners from OPD, LPD, Douglas and Sarpy county to achieve results that exceeded expectations. I’m confident their efforts will reduce violent crime and have rightfully lived up to the memory of Kerrie and Paul.”

Operation K.O. resulted in 231 state, local, and federal arrests, 144 gang members arrested, three missing children recovered, 86 firearms seized, 18.997 kilograms of narcotics seized, 838 Fentanyl pills seized , $821,774 illegal drugs seized (estimated street value), $48,902 in U.S. currency seized, and two stolen vehicles recovered.

During Operation K.O., 36 suspects were arrested for assault, 68 for weapon charges, two for sexual assault, five for failure to register, six for burglary, 53 for drug charges, 15 for robbery, three for vehicle theft, and 32 for other charges.

Notable arrests: 

Maurice Coleman, a documented Flat Land Blood gang member with a violent criminal history involving assault, robbery, resisting arrest, and multiple weapon violations, was wanted for a supervised release violation out of the northern District of Texas. The OPD Gang Unit used air assets during its pursuit of Coleman which ended with a safe and successful apprehension. During the arrest, a missing child was recovered and a firearm was seized.

Tommy Meyer was arrested by the Metro Fugitive Task Force for a Nebraska Department of Correctional Services absconding warrant issued on February 13. Inside the vehicle in which he was arrested investigators found a total of 11.35 pounds of suspected methamphetamine and $18,451 in U.S. currency.

Jose Morales and Pablo Morales were arrested on an attempted murder warrant out of Virginia. After conducting surveillance on a residence, investigators observed two subjects matching the description of both men. Task Force members arrested both without incident. Both were transported to the Douglas County Jail in Omaha.

This press release was produced by the City of Omaha. The views expressed here are the author’s own.