The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) District of Massachusetts, alongside several state and local law enforcement agencies, has launched a summer fugitive apprehension initiative dubbed “Operation 250th.”
Started in May 2026, the joint effort is named in honor of the upcoming 250th birthday of the United States. The multi-agency operation has established a goal of arresting more than 250 violent fugitives across the Commonwealth before the end of the summer season.
To date, task force members have taken 110 violent fugitives into custody. Those arrested include individuals facing charges for homicide, sexual assault, firearms offenses, and other violent crimes.
The initiative is directed by the USMS District of Massachusetts Fugitive Task Force (DMAFTF). The operation combines the resources, personnel, and intelligence capabilities of the U.S. Marshals Service, the Massachusetts State Police (MSP), the Boston Police Department, the Worcester Police Department, and the Springfield Police Department, alongside various other local and federal partners.
“The early success of Operation 250th is a testament to the relentless dedication, professionalism, and courage of the men and women of the U.S. Marshals Service and our law enforcement partners,” said Dennis Matulewicz, Acting United States Marshal for the District of Massachusetts. “As the first federal law enforcement agency in the United States, the U.S. Marshals Service has always been and remains America’s premier fugitive apprehension agency. As our nation prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday, there is no better way to honor that legacy than by removing violent offenders from our streets, protecting victims, and making our communities safer. The remarkable results achieved thus far reflect the extraordinary teamwork between the U.S. Marshals Service and our state, local, and federal partners. Together, we are demonstrating what can be accomplished when law enforcement agencies operate as one team with a common mission.”
Law enforcement officials highlighted several recent apprehensions made under the umbrella of Operation 250th:
Alan Marcus Lewis: Arrested on July 1, 2026, in Charlotte, North Carolina. Lewis faces a murder charge from Suffolk Superior Court related to the November 6, 2017, shooting death of a male victim near Massachusetts Avenue and Boylston Street in Boston. The USMS Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force assisted in locating him following a multi-year investigation.
Armani Collazos: Apprehended on June 26, 2026, in Brighton, Massachusetts, by the USMS DMAFTF and the Boston Police Fugitive Unit. Collazos was wanted on a June 25 Suffolk Superior Court warrant charging him with murder, four counts of assault to murder by means of a firearm, and related weapons offenses. The charges stem from the June 12 shooting death of 15-year-old Phillip Franco on Pomeroy Street in Allston.
Armani Montanez: Arrested on June 23, 2026, in Haverhill, Massachusetts, through a joint operation involving the USMS DMAFTF, the MSP Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section (VFAS), and Haverhill Police. Montanez was wanted on an Arizona warrant issued by Maricopa County Superior Court on May 22, 2026, charging him with First Degree Murder, Aggravated Assault, Discharge of a Firearm, and Disorderly Conduct. The charges are tied to an October 27, 2024, fatal shooting of an adult male in Phoenix, Arizona.
Steven Stuart: Taken into custody on June 18, 2026, in Auburn, Massachusetts, by the USMS DMAFTF and the MSP VFAS. Stuart was wanted on a Worcester Superior Court murder warrant issued the same day. The charge follows the recent death of a victim who was severely beaten as a two-year-old child in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, in 2012, which caused paralysis and long-term injuries. Stuart previously served a prison sentence for the initial assault. Authorities noted Stuart’s criminal history also includes prior arrests for assault and battery, as well as indecent assault and battery on a mentally disabled victim.
Keeland Rose: Arrested on June 10, 2026, in Providence, Rhode Island, by the USMS DMAFTF and the USMS District of Rhode Island Violent Fugitive Task Force. Rose was subject to a May 4 warrant from New Bedford District Court for Assault to Murder, Assault and Battery with a Dangerous Weapon with Serious Bodily Injuries, and Assault and Battery on a Family Member following a May 2 stabbing incident inside a vehicle. Rose also faced an outstanding narcotics warrant from the same court.
Richard Pena: Apprehended on June 1, 2026, in Lawrence, Massachusetts, by the USMS DMAFTF and MSP VFAS. Pena was wanted on an Essex Superior Court warrant issued earlier that day for Murder in connection with a September 2025 homicide in Lawrence. Officials stated Pena has a prior criminal record involving firearms, narcotics, and assault charges.
Operation 250th will remain active through the rest of the summer months.
Agencies participating in the USMS DMAFTF include the USMS District of Massachusetts, Massachusetts State Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the Sheriff’s Departments of Hampden, Middlesex, Plymouth, and Suffolk counties, and the police departments of Boston, Brockton, Cambridge, Haverhill, Lowell, New Bedford, Springfield, Worcester, West Springfield, Randolph, and Quincy.
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