Five missing teenage girls rescued in New Orleans, 30 arrested in sex offender operation

A months-long law enforcement operation in New Orleans resulted in the rescue of five missing teenage girls, and the arrest of 30 people on charges related to sex trafficking.

In a collaborative effort between multiple law enforcement agencies, authorities were able to find the five missing girls on Christmas Eve, and arrested 30 people on various sex offense charges. The US Marshals Service issued a statement on December 27 detailing the results of the operation.

“The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) New Orleans Task Force (USMS Eastern District of Louisiana) sponsored its annual Operation Boo Dat 2021 from mid-October to December 24, 2021. The partnership between New Orleans Police Department (NOPD), Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office (OPSO), Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office (JPSO), Louisiana State Police (LSP), and USMS New Orleans Task Force resulted in thirty (30) arrests with seventeen (17) of the arrests being for felony sex offender registration violations,” the statement said.

The arrests included two high-profile felony sex offenders and a 17 year old girl who who faces sex trafficking charges. That teen was “known to have prior ties to several female runaways from New Orleans as well as ties to organized gang activities,” according to the statement.