FBI Pittsburgh Arrested 19 Violent Fugitives
FBI Pittsburgh teamed up with local, state, and federal partners and arrested 19 dangerous wanted fugitives during a five-day operation tied to the nationwide Summer Heat initiative targeting violent crime. The operation ran between October 6 and October 10 and concentrated resources in the Western Pennsylvania region while also producing arrests elsewhere. Agencies involved included the FBI Pittsburgh, the United States Marshals Service, the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police Fugitive Apprehension Unit.
Teams worked to identify targets, collect intelligence, and coordinate tactical moves that led to arrests. FBI Special Agents and Task Force Officers embedded with partner agencies to coordinate movements and provide real-time investigative support. The effort combined local knowledge with federal capabilities to track and detain suspects quickly.
“Law enforcement at all levels shares the same goal: protect the communities we serve. This operation proves our commitment to that mission,” said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Kevin Rojek. “It does not matter if you’re in Western Pennsylvania, across the United States, or anywhere else in the world, the FBI and our partners will find you and will bring you to justice. We take Crushing Violent Crime to heart, and we will not stop.”
U.S. Marshal Stephen Eberle highlighted cross-agency cooperation and thanked participating partners. “The United States Marshals Service is constantly collaborating with various law enforcement partners on initiatives that target and reduce violent crime,” U.S. Marshal Stephen Eberle said in a statement. “We will continue to work closely with all law enforcement to keep our communities safe and bring dangerous fugitives to justice. I want to thank all the agencies that participated in this successful operation.”
The arrests covered a range of serious allegations and priorities for public safety. Nineteen subjects were taken into custody for offenses including:
- drug trafficking
- firearms possession
- sexual battery of a child
- rape of children
- terroristic threats
- human trafficking
Local officials praised the coordinated result as a win for residents and neighborhoods. “We are fortunate in western Pennsylvania to have great partnerships in law enforcement and when that cohesiveness involving our various agencies results in dangerous people being taken off the streets, that is a good day for law enforcement and for our residents,” said Allegheny County Sheriff Kevin Kraus. Acting Chief Martin Devine emphasized the role of the Pittsburgh Fugitive Apprehension Unit in supporting partners and removing violent offenders.
“The Pittsburgh Bureau of Police—and its highly-trained detectives from the Fugitive Apprehension Unit—is always at the ready to assist our local and federal law enforcement partners with the shared goal of driving guns, drugs, and criminals out of neighborhoods, keeping Allegheny County streets safe from violent crime,” said Acting Chief of the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police Martin Devine.
Some arrests tied to the operation occurred outside Pennsylvania, showing the effort’s geographic reach. One individual was arrested by the USMS in Kansas City, Kansas, on a federal arrest warrant alleging sexual assault of two minor females in his care. Another suspect wanted in Allegheny County on stalking, harassment, and assault allegations was arrested by FBI Charlotte in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
The FBI Pittsburgh SWAT team also executed a deployment to effect a high-risk arrest in Penn Hills during the operation. Tactical teams used planned, coordinated entries when necessary to secure suspects safely and limit further risk to the public. Those movements were part of the larger multi-agency plan for concentrated enforcement during the five days.
Seizures tied to the arrests included weapons, narcotics, and cash, with quantities noted by investigators as significant. The operation recovered:
- 3 firearms seized
- 28.8 grams of crack cocaine seized
- 77.6 grams of heroin and fentanyl seized
- 722.6 grams of marijuana seized
Investigators also seized tens of thousands of dollars in illicit drug proceeds. Officials warned that the heroin and fentanyl totals alone could have a devastating community impact, noting the deadly potency of fentanyl. Removing those drugs from circulation was a clear public-safety objective for the task force.
On a national scale, the FBI reported broad results from Summer Heat operations through early October. Nationwide the FBI and law enforcement partners reported 8,629 arrests as of October 2, with more than 6,500 falling under the FBI’s Violent Crime and Gang program and 1,053 victim children identified or located by agents focusing on crimes against children.
Summer Heat also produced large seizures of contraband nationally, including 44,569 kilograms of cocaine, 421 kilograms of fentanyl, and 2,281 weapons. FBI Pittsburgh acknowledged the partner agencies that supported the operation and emphasized continued cooperation to target violent criminals and protect communities.
