Justice Department reports 118 arrests in Operation Not Forgotten 2026
The department says a six-month surge focused on unresolved cases in Indian country also led to 41 people being charged federally and 25 child victims being identified or located.
The U.S. Justice Department said on October 20 that Operation Not Forgotten 2026 led to 118 arrests and 41 people being charged federally during a six-month surge across Indian country. The effort ran from April 1 through September 30 and focused on unresolved cases, particularly violence against women and children, including cases involving people who are missing or murdered.
According to the department, investigators also identified or located 25 child victims and recovered 72 weapons. FBI agents conducted 990 interviews and 232 search operations during the surge. The department said arrests rose 123% and the number of people charged rose 52% compared with its 2025 operation.
Where the Operation Not Forgotten cases were charged
The Justice Department cited cases charged in federal districts including Wyoming, Nevada, Minnesota, Montana and Arizona. Its examples cover allegations involving violent offenses, child abuse and sexual abuse. The charges described in those cases are allegations; the announcement does not establish that the defendants are guilty.
The department said the Wyoming surge resulted in the federal indictment of 18 people for an array of violent crimes and child abuse offenses on the Wind River Reservation. In Nevada, it cited an indictment alleging that Delshay Astor murdered Anna Scott, a member of the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, on the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony in February 2022. It said Joel Christy was charged with helping Astor avoid apprehension.
How the surge fits into Operation Steadfast Promise
The FBI described Operation Not Forgotten in its April 2 announcement as a personnel surge in its fourth year, operating under the broader Operation Steadfast Promise effort. The priority was unresolved cases in Indian country involving violence against women and children. The Justice Department said more than 4,000 investigations in Indian country remained open in 2026, including death investigations and child abuse, domestic violence and adult sexual abuse cases.
The department separately reported figures for Operation Steadfast Promise since that wider effort began in April: more than 1,200 new investigations opened, charges obtained against 678 people, more than 700 arrests, 2,260 weapons recovered and 140 drug seizures. Those broader totals cover a different scope from the April-through-September Operation Not Forgotten results.
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Sources and context
- Justice Department Announces Results from Operation Not Forgotten 2026U.S. Department of Justice
- FBI Surges Personnel to Support Operation Not Forgotten 2026, Expanding Investigative Resources Across Indian CountryFederal Bureau of Investigation
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.