The Justice Department has released new results from “Operation Not Forgotten,” a six-month nationwide surge that dispatched FBI agents and specialists to some of the country’s most remote tribal communities to support violent-crime investigations and cases involving missing or murdered Indigenous people.
The operation, described as the most intensive FBI deployment in Indian Country to date, sent 64 agents and support personnel on rotating assignments to 10 field offices, including Phoenix, Albuquerque, Minneapolis, Seattle and Salt Lake City. They worked alongside the Bureau of Indian Affairs and tribal law enforcement, expanding investigative capacity in regions where vast land areas and limited resources have long strained public-safety efforts.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi said the surge helped resolve cases, protect victims and strengthen safety in Native communities, while FBI Director Kash Patel called the deployment a key step toward delivering long-delayed justice. The Bureau of Indian Affairs’ Missing and Murdered Unit added another 36 personnel, contributing technical expertise such as ground-penetrating radar and underwater search capabilities.
The six-month push supported more than 330 investigations nationwide and contributed to strong results in fiscal year 2025: 1,260 individuals charged, 1,123 arrests, 304 weapons recovered and 458 child victims identified or located, according to federal data.
Arizona, which handles the nation’s highest volume of Indian Country cases, saw a major influx of resources. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Arizona opened 154 violent-crime investigations between April and September and secured more than 73 indictments and complaints. Cases ranged from child exploitation and domestic violence to major drug-related offenses.
Among the defendants charged or sentenced during the surge:
Kevin Ronnie Tungovia, accused of sexual abuse of a minor and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine after agents found drugs and paraphernalia during a search of his home.
Richard Alex Buitimea, sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for possession of child pornography after investigators uncovered over 1,000 illicit images and 21 videos linked to his online account.
FBI officials in Arizona said the additional manpower accelerated case progress and strengthened partnerships with tribal agencies, while federal prosecutors noted that the surge helped remove dangerous offenders from communities across the state.
Operation Not Forgotten builds on initiatives first launched during the Trump administration to improve federal response to violent crime and missing-person cases in Indian Country. Over the past three years, the program has supported more than 760 investigations, resulting in hundreds of arrests and convictions and assistance for thousands of victims and families.
The effort will continue to be supported by the Justice Department’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Regional Outreach Program, which embeds attorneys and coordinators in U.S. Attorneys’ Offices nationwide to respond to MMIP cases and support tribal partners.
