CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Charleston Police Chief Tyke Hunt announced the largest warrant sweep in over 20 years for the department on Wednesday, resulting in dozens of arrests.
Standing beside representatives from multiple law enforcement agencies inside the Charleston City Council chambers, Hunt released the results sweep named “Operation Delta 146.”
U.S. Marshal Michael Baylous proposed this operation in honor of CPD Ptlm. Cassie Johnson who was killed in the line of duty in December. Johnson worked on Delta shift and her unit number was 146 giving the operation its name.
“This warrant sweep exemplified the collaboration between several fine organizations and acted as a way to continue to honor Ptlm. Johnson’s legacy,” Hunt said.
“The results correlated well with her work ethic. Making our city safer is exactly why she chose her profession.”
Warrants were served specific to gun crimes, violent crimes, felony drug crimes, felony person crimes and other serious felonies, according to Hunt. The chief said the majority of the arrests were in Charleston and others were connected to the city.
A total of 72 arrests were made including 43 being state/local warrants and 29 were federal warrants. The sweep seized 38 guns, approximately 6 pounds of methamphetamine, approximately 2 pounds of marijuana, and a significant amount of currency.
“We arrested a murder suspect. One of the arrests was able to take one of Patrolman Cassie Jonhson’s final cases into the court system where they will be prosecuted,” Hunt said of the operation.
The agencies who helped the U.S. Marshal Service and Charleston Police Department with these operations were police departments from Princeton, Ironton, Barboursville, Ravenswood, and Beckley and Sheriff’s deputies from Cabell, Kanawha, Putnam, Roane, Jackson, Mercer, Wyoming, and Raleigh Counties, WVDRC Parole, and the West Virginia State Police.
Lissa Jordan with the ATF and Jack Sparks with the DEA also offered their agents and support.
“Any time we work with our federal partners, we begin to see a response multiplier. When we set our minds to a particular task or location, we can get a lot more accomplished. This effort today (Wednesday) proves just that,” Hunt told the media.
In a thank you letter published Wednesday to all those who have came to support the department during the operation and Johnson’s death, Hunt confirmed President Joe Biden personally phoned Johnson’s family to give condolences.
Hunt thanked Gov. Jim Justice, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and U.S. Senator Joe Manchin, and other dignitaries in West Virginia for support.
“Thank you to every agency and each officer that made Operation Delta 146 a record success in our city. This operation was the perfect way to honor Ptlm. Cassie Johnson. The results correlate well with her work ethic. Making our city safer is exactly why she chose her profession,” Hunt said in his letter.