United States Attorney Moore Capito and U.S. Marshals Service Announce Results of Operation Spring Sweep

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - United States Attorney Moore Capito joined with the U.S. Marshals Service and other law enforcement partners today to announce the successful conclusion of Operation Spring Sweep. The nearly month-long operation targeted noncompliant sex offenders, individuals wanted for sex crimes, and violent fugitives and resulted in 72 felony arrests.

The U.S. Marshals Southern District of West Virginia Cops United Felony Fugitive Enforcement Division (CUFFED) Task Force launched Operation Spring Sweep in partnership with the West Virginia State Police on March 9, 2026. While it officially concluded on April 4, 2026, the work of the task force continues as another of its targeted fugitives was captured in Ohio on April 14, 2026.

"If we're serious about the future of West Virginia, there is nothing more important than protecting it - so our children can live, work, and thrive here," Capito said. "We are not followers. We are leaders. That's the standard in this office, the commitment of our law enforcement partners every day, and the promise the people of West Virginia can expect from all of us moving forward."

The West Virginia State Police conducted 222 sex offender compliance checks as part of Operation Spring Sweep, and 19 of the resulting arrests were for alleged violations of registration and notification requirements. The arrested sex offenders include Johnathan Matthew Taylor, 30, who was indicted on March 17, 2026, by a federal grand jury on a charge alleging he violated the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The Southern District of West Virginia is a regional and national leader in the successful prosecution of SORNA violations. Part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006, SORNA provides a comprehensive set of minimum standards for sex offender registration and notification in the United States. SORNA seeks to strengthen the nationwide network of sex offender registration and notification programs, in part by requiring registered sex offenders to register and keep their registration current in each jurisdiction in which they reside, work, or go to school.

"Operation Spring Sweep shows exactly who we are - West Virginia is leading this country in being tough on crime, especially crimes against the most vulnerable," Capito said. "We are targeting violent offenders and sexual predators who refuse to register and think the rules don't apply to them. They haven't learned their lesson - but they will. We will find them, and we will bring them to justice. That's what this operation is about."

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.

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