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U.S. Marshals Recover 79 Missing Children in Ohio

9/9/2026

Summary

U.S. Marshals Recover Children

U.S. Marshals Service recovered 79 missing children in Ohio during Operation Meridian.
The children, ages 6 to 17, were located in Ohio, Georgia, and Michigan.
Marshal Pete Elliott said the sweep was Ohio’s largest missing-child operation ever.
Elliott announced the Spear Unit, merging missing-person, child, predator and cold-case teams, effective Jan. 1.

Summary

HUD Aids Meridian

HUD Office of Inspector General Special Agent in Charge Shawn Rice said HUD agents helped Operation Meridian.
Operation Meridian involved dozens of local police, sheriff’s offices, the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, and HUD-OIG.
The U.S. Marshals-led SPEAR Unit managed the August 18 Toledo trafficking-victim case.
Children and Family Services coordinated medical, psychological, and social services for each recovered child.
Agencies pledged long-term case management and trauma-informed counseling for families after reunification.

History

Historical Context

After Amber Hagerman’s 1996 abduction and murder in Texas, Congress and President Bill Clinton provided funding that launched the national Amber Alert network in 1998 across 50 jurisdictions. The system expanded to all states by 2005, creating a template that Operation Meridian now follows, uniting U.S. Marshals, HUD-OIG, FBI and local police to pursue 79 missing children in Ohio, Georgia and Michigan.

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U.S. Marshals Recover Children

U.S. Marshals Service recovered 79 missing children in Ohio during Operation Meridian.
The children, ages 6 to 17, were located in Ohio, Georgia, and Michigan.
Marshal Pete Elliott said the sweep was Ohio’s largest missing-child operation ever.
Elliott announced the Spear Unit, merging missing-person, child, predator and cold-case teams, effective Jan. 1.

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