Nearly 100 FBI Personnel Execute Warrants in Operation Targeting Traffickers
Operation Details
On August 29, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) held a joint press conference in Riverton to announce a sweeping operation on the Wind River Indian Reservation. Nearly 100 FBI personnel, including SWAT teams from Salt Lake City, Denver, and tactical assets from Quantico, Virginia, executed 12 federal search warrants, one federal arrest warrant, and three local arrest warrants targeting individuals distributing drugs and possessing illegal firearms—either in furtherance of drug crimes or as prohibited felons. The operation, part of the Rocky Mountain Safe Trails Task Force, aims to disrupt violent crime and drug trafficking impacting the Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone tribes. U.S. Attorney Darin Smith emphasized, “We are going scorched Earth on criminal activity on the reservation and across Wyoming,” crediting partners like the Riverton Police Department, Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation, Wyoming Highway Patrol, and Fremont County Sheriff’s Department. FBI Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek stated, “Together with our federal, state, local, and tribal partners, we will hold criminals fully accountable and ensure that families on the Wind River Indian Reservation and across the region can live in safety.”
Safe Trails Task Force Role
The Safe Trails Task Force, a collaborative effort since 2000, unites the FBI with tribal police, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), BIA, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and state/local agencies to combat violent crime and drug trafficking on reservations. In Wyoming, it focuses on the Wind River Reservation, where issues like methamphetamine and fentanyl distribution exacerbate community violence. Recent successes include sentencing two individuals for drug trafficking with illegal weapons and arresting two Fremont County women with six pounds of methamphetamine and 29 pounds of marijuana from Las Vegas. The task force has led to over 50 indictments and convictions nationwide in similar operations, emphasizing methamphetamine as a primary threat. This aligns with broader DOJ initiatives, including a $888,748 grant to the Northwest Safe Trails Task Force for enhanced prosecutions in tribal communities.
Community and Broader Impact
The Wind River Reservation, home to the Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone tribes, faces high rates of violent crime and substance abuse, with fentanyl and methamphetamine as leading causes. The operation, following social media reports of FBI activity on August 28, 2025, in Fort Washakie, was clarified as targeting drug and gun crimes, not immigration enforcement as initially speculated. U.S. Attorney Smith thanked local partners for their role in reducing criminal activity. The press conference, held due to the operation’s sensitivity, had no media questions allowed. Video and images are available at the linked Hightail space. This effort supports Wyoming’s public safety, complementing initiatives like Teton County’s emergency preparedness.
Stay InformedFor more on the operation or to report tips, visit justice.gov/usao-wy or call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI. Engage with Wyoming’s community safety through events like the CUSP Walk, promoting resilience on and off reservations.
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