National Operation Takes Foothold in the City of Cleveland

Cleveland, OH – Beginning back in June of this year 20 cities were targeted to conduct Operation North Star III (ONS III). The 20 cities impacted, including the city of Cleveland, were cities that participated in the first two rounds of Operation North Star. Those cities were: Albuquerque; Baltimore; Buffalo, New York; Chicago; Cleveland; Columbus, Ohio; Detroit; Houston; Indianapolis; Jackson, Mississippi; Kansas City, Missouri; Los Angeles; Memphis, Tennessee; Milwaukee; New Orleans; New York; Oakland, California; Philadelphia; Puerto Rico; and Washington, D.C.

This enforcement action marks the third ONS since July 2022. In total, U.S. Marshals have apprehended more than 6,700 wanted fugitives, including 900 charged with homicide, in addition to removing more than 900 weapons associated to violent crime. Since the 1980s, the U.S. Marshals Service has combined their resources and expertise with local, state, and federal agencies to find and apprehend dangerous fugitives.

Here locally in Cleveland, one of the first arrests made during Operation North Star 3 was of Quintin Mathews, who was arrested on June 9. Mathews was wanted for murder by the Cleveland Division of Police after an individual was killed inside a vehicle and the vehicle was then set on fire.

U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott stated, “Although the U.S. Marshals Service is concluding Operation North Star, the agency continues its permanent partnerships with state and local law enforcement here in the city of Cleveland. We will not rest until violent fugitives are put behind bars rather than wandering in and out of our communities.”

Anyone with information concerning a wanted fugitive can contact the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force at 1-866-4WANTED (1-866-492-6833), or you can submit a web tip. Reward money is available, and tipsters may remain anonymous. Follow the U.S. Marshals on Twitter @USMSCleveland.

The Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force – Cleveland Division is composed of the following federal, state and local agencies: U.S. Marshals Service, Cleveland Police Department, Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office, Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority Police Department, Euclid Police Department, Ohio Adult Parole Authority, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Independence Police Department, Parma Police Department, Aurora Police Department, Solon Police Department, Cleveland RTA Police Department, Westlake Police Department, Bedford Police Department, Middleburg Heights Police Department, Newburgh Heights Police Department and the Metrohealth Police Department.