FBI El Paso, FBI San Antonio Sweep Crime Off Texas Streets Through Operation Spring Cleaning

SAN ANTONIO - Following the recent Justice Department announcement that revealed the results of Operation Spring Cleaning, U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons announced the local contributions from the two FBI divisions in the Western District of Texas.

Operation Spring Cleaning is a nationwide initiative spearheaded by the FBI to combat gang-related threats and enhance public safety. The operation coordinated with federal, state, and local law enforcement and targeted the illegal flow of firearms and narcotics in our communities. The operation began on March 1 and ended May 31.

In the nationwide total, Operation Spring Cleaning led to over 1,100 arrests, over 600 charges filed, and almost 600 search warrants conducted. The operation also resulted in the seizure of nearly 1,000 illegal firearms-dozens of which were equipped with machinegun conversion devices (MCDs)-and more than 2,700 pounds of illegal narcotics.

"I applaud our FBI partners across the El Paso and San Antonio divisions, who have led this initiative with the assistance of state and local law enforcement to crack down on the violent crime that infiltrates our communities, " said U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons. "It's operations like this that reinforce the freedom and liberty we have as Americans."

"During Operation Spring Cleaning, FBI El Paso and our Midland Resident Agency worked alongside our state, local, and federal partners to surge more resources to address threats posed by local gangs towards our neighborhoods," said Jarod Brown, Special Agent in Charge, FBI El Paso Field Office. "Our gang personnel shared intelligence and participated in operations to dismantle the gang's ability to inflict violent crime on our community. The FBI's priority is to defend our communities by leveraging our resources to help our partners."

"Through Operation Spring Cleaning, the FBI San Antonio Safe Streets Task Force, including the San Antonio Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Texas Department of Public Safety, took coordinated, sustained action against violent criminal enterprises and the networks that enabled their illicit activities," said Daniel Faith, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Antonio Field Office. "During one day of this operation, law enforcement seized 24 firearms from a criminal enterprise known to operate in high-traffic commercial areas throughout San Antonio. These efforts demonstrated our joint commitment to dismantling violent criminal organizations and preventing acts of violence in the communities we serve."

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