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Dozens of felony suspects in southern West Virginia have been arrested as part of Operation Coal Country, a multi-week operation that targeted noncompliant sex offenders, suspects wanted for sex crimes and violent fugitives.
“One of our primary objectives was identifying sex offenders who were not in compliance or complying with the registration requirement and locating individuals wanted for sexual offenses,” U.S. Marshal Jack Chambers said during a Wednesday press conference. “Sex offender laws exist for a reason. So when an offender doesn’t comply or fails to register properly, we have an obligation to investigate it, find them, and arrest them, get them into conformity.”
The effort was primarily located in the six southern counties served by West Virginia State Police Troop 5: Boone, Cabell, Lincoln, Logan, Mingo and Wayne.
State Police conducted hundreds of sex offender compliance checks to confirm they were following requirements. Fifty-one were found to be out of compliance.
Among the 59 felony arrests were fugitives wanted for murder, attempted murder, malicious wounding, strangulation, firearms offenses and drug-related crimes.
“Of those 59, 16 were sex offenders, 10 were wanted for sex-related felony offenses, 23 others were arrested for violent criminal offenses and one missing child was also recovered during this operation,” Deputy U.S. Marshal Mark Waggamon, said.
Law enforcement also seized 75.1 grams of fentanyl, 3.4 pounds of methamphetamine and 33.3 grams of cocaine, one firearm and assorted ammunition, and $6,000.