Justice Department Announces Results from Operation Not Forgotten 2026

The Department of Justice and FBI announced today results of the personnel surge in support of Operation Not Forgotten 2026, which focuses on unresolved cases in Indian country with a priority on cases involving violence against women and children, including those who are missing or murdered.

In its fourth year, Operation Not Forgotten surged personnel and investigative resources across the country from April 1 through September 30, resulting in 118 arrests, 41 individuals charged federally, 25 child victims identified or located, and 72 weapons recovered. FBI agents conducted 990 interviews and 232 search operations. Arrests increased by 123% and subjects charged by 52% over 2025.

"The Department of Justice will always work to deliver justice for the victims of violent crime in Indian country," said Attorney General Todd Blanche. "Thanks to the hard work of the FBI, our U.S. Attorneys, and other federal and tribal partners, Operation Not Forgotten and Operation Steadfast Promise are helping make communities safer and providing comfort for victims and families."

"This year's Operation Not Forgotten continued this FBI's largest commitment to Indian Country in the history of the Bureau," said FBI Director Kash Patel. "The results were outstanding - from April 1 through September 30, this FBI worked more than 500 cases, a 59% increase from last year's operation; 118 arrests, a 123% increase; and 41 subjects charged federally, a 52% increase. This is in addition to 25 child victims identified or located and 72 weapons recovered. These involved life-saving operations, with cases including child sexual abuse, physical assault and abuse, domestic violence, CSAM cases, and more.

"Operation Not Forgotten sends a loud and clear message that our long-forgotten partners in Indian Country are forgotten no more," said Director Patel. "When I assumed the position of FBI Director a year and a half ago, this FBI promised we would be there for our tribal partners. We have and will continue to be - through our 400 agents dedicated to Indian country, 30 Safe Trails Task Forces, and increased awareness with our Voices Not Forgotten program, where the FBI quadrupled the rewards to at least $25,000 for information associated with homicides, kidnappings and missing persons in Indian country. Thank you to our federal, state, and local partners who continue to work with us to ensure these unsolved crimes and cases receive the surge in resources they deserve."

"Operation Not Forgotten demonstrates the Trump Administration's commitment to protecting tribal communities, strengthening public safety, and ensuring that victims and their families have access to justice," said Billy Kirkland, Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior. "Through close collaboration across the federal government and in partnership with tribal, state, and local law enforcement, we are bringing additional resources and investigative support to Indian Country to address violent crime, advance unresolved cases, and help families find answers. The Department of the Interior, through the Bureau of Indian Affairs, remains committed to working alongside our partners to deliver meaningful results and build safer communities for generations to come."

Examples of cases charged during this period include:

In the District of Wyoming, the surge resulted in the federal indictment of 18 individuals for an array of violent crimes, and child abuse offenses on the Wind River Indian Reservation, including U.S. v. Jose Benito Ocon: This prosecution arises from an August 2025 incident near Riverton, where the defendant allegedly executed a male passenger with a gunshot to the head inside a moving vehicle before turning the firearm on two female witnesses. Leveraging the surge's enhanced investigative assets, a grand jury returned an indictment charging the defendant with five felony counts, including first-degree murder, discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, and two distinct counts of assault with a dangerous weapon. He faces a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment if convicted. In U.S. v. Darlynn Sheree Seminole, federal prosecutors filed charges following a June 2026 domestic violence intervention by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Wind River Police Department, involving allegations of severe physical trauma inflicted on a 10-year-old.

In the District of Nevada, in July a federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment charging Delshay Astor with the alleged murder of Anna Scott, a member of the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, on the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony in February 2022, and also charged Joel Christy for assisting Astor to avoid apprehension.

In the District of Minnesota, Operation Not Forgotten has resulted in four cases charged during the surge period with violent and sexual offenses in Indian Country, including sexual abuse of minors, domestic assault causing substantial bodily injury, assault by strangulation, and assault with intent to commit kidnapping. One recent case includes U.S. v. Courtney John Barrett Sr. indicted on September 22, 2026, on two counts of sexual abuse of a minor.

In the District of Montana, Michael Plentybuffalo was charged in the death of Shann Nomee, who went missing during an extreme cold snap in January 2024 and whose frozen body was found in a field north of Lodge Grass, Montana after a community led search and a tip to the Bureau of Indian Affairs that pointed to Plentybuffalo. His case is pending trial.

Also in Montana, Lance Crookedarm was charged with the May 2026 violent assault and non-fatal strangulation of a female victim.

In the District of Arizona, at least four cases were charged including two violent assaults, an arson, and the aggravated sexual abuse of a minor under 12, all of which occurred on the Navajo Nation, as well as an additional assault that was committed on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation.

FBI's Operation Steadfast Promise

Operation Steadfast Promise, first announced in 2026, is a continuing comprehensive surge of resources to address a wide range of violent criminal threats impacting Indian country. Operation Steadfast Promise builds on the successes of Operation Not Forgotten with the addition of multiple new initiatives to improve public safety in Tribal communities. The FBI, in coordination with U.S. Attorneys' Offices, the Bureau of Indian Affairs Missing and Murdered Unit, Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Tribal and other federal law enforcement partners, is working across multiple territories to bring investigative aid to cases and resolution for victims and their families. Since Operation Steadfast Promise began in April, the FBI opened over 1,200 new investigations in Indian country, obtained criminal charges on 678 subjects, made over 700 arrests, recovered 2,260 weapons, and made 140 drug seizures.

This year, Operation Not Forgotten continued to address the over 4,000 open investigations in Indian country including death investigations, child abuse cases, domestic violence, and adult sexual abuse investigations, underscoring the persistent and urgent need for sustained resource investment in these communities.

During Operation Not Forgotten, the FBI surged personnel, including investigative, intelligence, and other support personnel, on rotating temporary duty assignments across Indian country in twelve FBI field offices, in Albuquerque, Billings, Detroit, Denver, Jackson, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, Oklahoma City, Omaha, Portland, Phoenix and Salt Lake City. Working in close coordination with Tribal law enforcement agencies, the BIA Missing and Murdered Unit, and U.S. Attorneys' Offices, together law enforcement worked to advance open investigations and pursue accountability for victims and their families.

Additionally, the FBI has brought focus to a new FBI's Voices Not Forgotten webpage that includes a searchable and interactive map that brings attention to FBI investigations in Indian country where the FBI, in coordination with state, local and Tribal law enforcement are seeking the public's assistance. In August 2026, the FBI announced the establishment of a new protocol which created a minimum reward of up to $25,000 for all publicly advertised cases involving homicides, kidnappings and missing persons in Indian country where the FBI has assumed jurisdiction.

The FBI remains committed to standing alongside Tribal communities, federal partners, and local law enforcement to address the violent crime threats that continue to impact Indian country. To learn more, visit www.fbi.gov/investigate/violent-crime/indian-country-crime.

The FBI encourages anyone with information related to unresolved violent crimes in Indian country to contact their local FBI field office or submit a tip at www.tips.fbi.gov.