OPERATION NOT FORGOTTEN 2026 ADVANCES 548 INVESTIGATIONS IN INDIAN COUNTRY, RESULTING IN 118 ARRESTS AND 41 PEOPLE FEDERALLY CHARGED

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Department of Justice and FBI have announced the results of Operation Not Forgotten 2026, a six-month federal investigative initiative targeting unresolved violent crimes in Native American communities, including cases involving missing and murdered Indigenous people, child sexual abuse, domestic violence, and homicide. The operation supported 548 investigations across Indian Country, resulting in 118 arrests, 41 individuals charged federally, 25 child victims identified or located, and 72 weapons recovered.

The results, released October 20, 2026, reflect an expanded deployment of federal investigative personnel between April 1 and September 30. According to the Justice Department, the number of investigations supported increased 59% compared with the previous year’s operation, while arrests rose 123% and individuals facing federal charges increased 52%.

FBI personnel conducted 990 interviews and 232 search operations during the initiative, working alongside Tribal law enforcement agencies, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), federal prosecutors, and other investigative partners. The effort concentrated additional resources on cases requiring specialized investigative support, including longstanding investigations in which families and communities continue seeking answers.

Now in its fourth year, Operation Not Forgotten was established to strengthen investigative capabilities in Indian Country, where violent crime cases can involve complex jurisdictional responsibilities and coordination among Tribal, federal, state, and local authorities. The program places particular emphasis on violence against women and children, including missing persons and suspected homicides.

The FBI reported more than 4,000 open Indian Country investigations involving deaths, child abuse, domestic violence, and adult sexual abuse. The volume of unresolved cases remains a significant challenge despite the increased investigative activity reported during the latest operation.

To support the effort, the FBI assigned agents, intelligence specialists, and additional personnel to rotating temporary-duty deployments across 12 field offices. Participating offices included Albuquerque, Billings, Detroit, Denver, Jackson, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, Oklahoma City, Omaha, Portland, Phoenix, and Salt Lake City.

These deployments provided investigative assistance in multiple jurisdictions, allowing agencies to pursue leads, conduct interviews, examine evidence, coordinate search operations, and advance cases that had remained unresolved or required additional resources.

Several federal prosecutions arising during the operation demonstrate the severity of the offenses under investigation.

In Wyoming, federal prosecutors secured indictments against 18 individuals in cases involving violent crimes and child abuse offenses on the Wind River Indian Reservation. Among those charged was Jose Benito Ocon, whose prosecution stems from an August 2025 incident near Riverton.

According to federal allegations, Ocon shot a male passenger in the head inside a moving vehicle before turning the firearm toward two female witnesses. A federal grand jury returned an indictment containing five felony counts, including first-degree murder, discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, and two separate counts of assault with a dangerous weapon.

Ocon faces a mandatory life sentence if convicted of the applicable offense. The indictment represents formal criminal charges, and the allegations remain subject to proof in federal court.

Another Wyoming prosecution involves Darlynn Sheree Seminole, who was charged following a June 2026 domestic violence response by the BIA Wind River Police Department. Federal authorities allege that the incident involved severe physical injuries inflicted on a 10-year-old child. The case illustrates the operation’s focus on offenses against minors as well as violent crimes involving adult victims.

In Nevada, investigators advanced a homicide prosecution involving Anna Scott, a member of the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe who was killed on the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony in February 2022.

A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment in July 2026 charging Delshay Astor with Scott’s murder. Joel Christy was also charged with allegedly helping Astor avoid apprehension. The renewed prosecution represents a development in a case involving a death that occurred more than four years before the latest operational results were announced.

In Minnesota, federal prosecutors brought four cases during the operation involving violent and sexual offenses in Indian Country. The charges included sexual abuse of minors, domestic assault causing substantial bodily injury, assault by strangulation, and assault with intent to commit kidnapping.

One of those cases involves Courtney John Barrett Sr., who was indicted September 22, 2026, on two counts of sexual abuse of a minor. The indictment does not establish guilt, and the defendant remains entitled to the protections of the federal judicial process.

Montana investigators also advanced cases involving a previously unresolved death and a separate violent assault.

Michael Plentybuffalo was charged in connection with the death of Shann Nomee, who disappeared during an extreme cold snap in January 2024. Nomee’s frozen body was subsequently discovered in a field north of Lodge Grass, Montana, following a community-led search and information provided to the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

The prosecution against Plentybuffalo remains pending trial. The circumstances surrounding Nomee’s disappearance and the involvement of community members in the search illustrate the importance of information supplied by individuals outside formal law enforcement operations.

In another Montana case, Lance Crookedarm was charged in connection with an alleged violent assault and nonfatal strangulation of a female victim in May 2026.

Federal prosecutors in Arizona reported additional cases involving crimes on the Navajo Nation and the Fort Apache Indian Reservation. At least four cases were charged involving incidents on the Navajo Nation, including two violent assaults, an arson, and the aggravated sexual abuse of a child younger than 12. An additional assault case involved conduct on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation.

The cases span different types of violent offenses, geographic locations, and investigative circumstances. Some involve recent incidents, while others concern crimes committed years before the 2026 operation. Their inclusion reflects the program’s dual purpose of advancing unresolved investigations and supporting prosecutions involving serious threats to Tribal communities.

Attorney General Todd Blanche credited cooperation among federal investigators, U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, and Tribal law enforcement partners for the operation’s results. FBI Director Kash Patel also highlighted the increased investigative activity and the bureau’s continuing deployment of personnel dedicated to Indian Country investigations.

The FBI reported that approximately 400 agents are assigned to Indian Country responsibilities nationwide, supported by 30 Safe Trails Task Forces. These task forces coordinate federal and Tribal law enforcement efforts to investigate violent crime, criminal organizations, and offenses affecting reservation communities.

Operation Not Forgotten now functions alongside Operation Steadfast Promise, a broader FBI initiative launched in 2026 to address multiple categories of violent criminal activity affecting Indian Country.

Unlike the time-limited investigative surge conducted under Operation Not Forgotten, Operation Steadfast Promise provides a continuing operational framework addressing violent offenders, criminal enterprises, illegal firearms, narcotics activity, and other public safety threats.

Since Operation Steadfast Promise began in April, the FBI reported opening more than 1,200 new investigations, obtaining criminal charges against 678 individuals, making more than 700 arrests, recovering 2,260 weapons, and conducting 140 drug seizures.

Those figures represent the broader Operation Steadfast Promise initiative and should not be added to the Operation Not Forgotten totals as though they were separate, nonoverlapping enforcement results. The two programs operate in coordination, and the Justice Department has not provided a complete accounting of how their reported activities overlap.

The operation also includes an effort to increase public awareness of unresolved cases through the FBI’s Voices Not Forgotten program. The bureau established a searchable, interactive resource highlighting Indian Country investigations in which authorities are seeking assistance from the public.

The resource includes cases involving homicides, kidnappings, and missing persons, providing a centralized means for communities and potential witnesses to learn about investigations that remain active.

In August 2026, the FBI announced a new reward protocol establishing a minimum advertised reward of $25,000 for qualifying publicly advertised Indian Country homicide, kidnapping, and missing-person cases under FBI jurisdiction. The program is intended to encourage individuals with relevant information to come forward and assist investigators pursuing unresolved cases.

Public participation can be especially important in longstanding investigations where witnesses may possess information that was not previously reported or where additional evidence becomes available over time. The participation of family members, Tribal communities, and local authorities remains an important component of developing investigative leads and locating missing individuals.

The Department of the Interior also participated in the operation through the Bureau of Indian Affairs and its Missing and Murdered Unit. Billy Kirkland, Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, emphasized the continued coordination between federal agencies and Tribal authorities in addressing violence and advancing unresolved investigations.

Although the reported increases in arrests and prosecutions demonstrate expanded enforcement activity, they do not establish that all supported investigations have been resolved. The 548 cases represent investigations receiving assistance during the operation, not 548 completed prosecutions or confirmed criminal convictions.

Similarly, the 41 individuals charged federally remain subject to individual court proceedings. Arrests, criminal charges, guilty pleas, convictions, and sentencing outcomes are separate stages of the justice system and cannot be treated as interchangeable measures of prosecution results.

The Justice Department has not provided a comprehensive breakdown showing how many of the supported investigations resulted in case closures, identified suspects, recovered evidence, or referrals for additional prosecution. Those outcomes will depend on the progress of individual investigations and subsequent judicial proceedings.

Operation Not Forgotten 2026 concludes with a substantial expansion in documented investigative activity and federal enforcement actions across Indian Country. Its continuing significance will depend on the progress of the underlying cases, the identification and protection of victims, and sustained coordination among the agencies responsible for investigating violent crimes affecting Native American communities.

Federal authorities continue encouraging individuals with information concerning unresolved violent crimes in Indian Country to contact their local FBI field office or the FBI’s national tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324).

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