Operation Not Forgotten supported 548 investigations, DOJ says

The Justice Department and FBI say Operation Not Forgotten supported 548 investigations into unresolved cases in Indian Country during a six-month personnel surge in 2026, a 59% increase from the prior year. The agencies also reported 118 arrests and 41 people charged federally.

The operation ran from April 1 through Sept. 30. It prioritized violence against women and children, including cases involving missing or murdered people. The Justice Department announced the results Oct. 20.

What the operation reported i

The percentage increases describe different measures: investigations supported rose 59%, arrests 123%, and people charged federally 52%. The Justice Department’s announcement gives those rates but not the corresponding 2025 totals, so readers cannot compare the year-to-year change in raw counts from the percentages alone.

The operation deployed personnel across 12 FBI field offices and coordinated with Tribal law enforcement, the Bureau of Indian Affairs Missing and Murdered Unit, and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices. The reported totals span investigative work and outcomes such as arrests and charges; they should not be read as a count of unique cases or people beyond what the agencies specify for each measure.

What “supported” means for the figures i

What does 548 investigations “supported” mean? The Justice Department does not define the counting method in its announcement. It also does not report how many of those investigations were closed or resolved. The figure therefore measures the operation’s reported investigative workload, not a tally of cases solved.

The 25 child victims were described as identified or located; the agencies did not say that all were missing children or that all had been recovered. Likewise, arrests and federal charges are not findings of guilt. The figures describe activity during the completed six-month operation, but do not establish how many cases led to convictions or whether the operation reduced crime.