U.S. Marshals Recover Kidnapped Child

Cheyenne, WY – U.S. Marshals and Task Force Officers from the Wyoming Fugitive Task Force and members of the Evansville Police Department May 28 recovered a child kidnapped from Texas earlier this month.

The recovery follows a May 17 request for assistance by the Abilene Police Department.

On May 15, an arrest warrant for interference with child custody was issued for the noncustodial mother Courtney Klein in Abilene.

“I would like to thank the Wyoming Department of Family Services and the Evansville Police Department for their assistance and cooperation in the safe recovery of the missing child,” said Randall Huff, U.S. Marshal for the District of Wyoming.

The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) is fully committed to assisting federal, state, and local agencies with locating and recovering endangered missing children, in addition to their primary fugitive apprehension mission.

The U.S. Marshals Service supports the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s mission to protect children from victimization by providing assistance to federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. 

In Fiscal Year 2023, the USMS contributed to the location or recovery of 495 missing children, an approximate 16% increase over FY22.

Since 2015 the agency has recovered more than 3,600 missing children. The USMS has recovered missing children in 56 percent of cases received. Of those recovered, 61 percent were recovered within seven days. Nationwide, more than 50 local USMS task forces are dedicated to violent crime reduction by locating and apprehending wanted criminals. These task forces also serve as investigation hubs for missing and exploited juveniles throughout the country.

According to the FBI National Crime Information Center (NCIC), there were 375,304 reported entries for missing children in 2023.  In comparison to the FBI’s count in 2022, the total number of missing children in NCIC has decreased by 16,210.

The Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015 enhanced the U.S. Marshal Service’s discretionary authority to assist other law enforcement agencies with the recovery of missing, endangered or abducted children, regardless of whether a fugitive or sex offender was involved. The USMS have a Missing Child Unit to oversee and manage the implementation of its enhanced authority under the act. Upon request, the Marshals assist other law enforcement agencies with the recovery of “critically missing children,” who have gone missing under circumstances that indicate an elevated risk to the child.