141 violent crime suspects arrested in Fort Worth, U.S. attorney says

Dozens of alleged violent criminals are off the streets in Fort Worth after a recent law enforcement operation, the U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Texas announced on Monday.

Over the past 75 days, "Operation New Day" saw 141 people arrested for federal crimes, according to U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. As part of the push, officers from the Fort Worth Police Department, Tarrant County Sheriff's Department, FBI, ATF and other agencies conducted 20 undercover operations, broke up drug trafficking operations and seized numerous firearms, among other actions.

"Operation New Day" yielded more than 22 kilograms of cocaine, 100 grams of fentanyl and 38 seized firearms, officials said. At least 15 people were charged with illegal firearms possession and 51 suspects were also charged with illegal reentry after deportation.  

The numbers "show what happens when local and federal law enforcement act as one team. And we are one team," Raybould said.

Many of the arrests were tied to gang activity, which the federal government can prosecute under racketeering laws. Anyone convicted in those cases faces decades in prison. 

"We're going after the gangs in Fort Worth," Raybould said. 

"I'm issuing a challenge to the community, and that is if you have information that is a problem in your neighborhood, tell the FBI, tell the Fort Worth police, tell the sheriff's office. We can take care of that and put them in prison for a very long time and reduce violent crime in your neighborhood."