Federal task-force officers grabbed a Lexington man in Henderson County, Tenn., on Wednesday after tracking him to the Wildersville neighborhood, capping a regional fugitive hunt tied to an Arkansas crackdown on suspects wanted in child sex cases and other offenses.
According to Action News 5, the U.S. Marshals Service announced in a press release that officers had tracked 34-year-old Lexington resident Cody Grissom to Wildersville before taking him into custody. The release said Grissom was wanted out of Arkansas on counts that include sexual solicitation, internet stalking of a child, and use of a communication device, and noted that his arrest was tied to a multiagency enforcement push carried out in late June.
Operation Trident and the Arkansas Sweep
Pine Bluff Commercial reported that the broader enforcement effort included Operation Trident in West Memphis, which ran from June 19 to 25, along with a related operation in Pine Bluff. Officials told the outlet the two operations produced 47 arrests across eastern Arkansas and were aimed at fugitives, sex-offender compliance and crimes against children. Acting U.S. Marshal Cory Harris said the operations "demonstrate the U.S. Marshals Service’s unwavering commitment to protecting our communities," underscoring that this was not just a one-county sweep but a regional push.
Charges and What Comes Next
Grissom remains wanted on Arkansas charges of sexual solicitation, internet stalking of a child, and use of a communication device, according to Action News 5. Officials did not immediately release booking details, bond information or a court date, and the Marshals’ announcement did not provide additional information about transfer or extradition plans. Local agencies that assisted in the arrest did not immediately respond to requests for more details.
Why These Multiagency Sweeps Keep Rolling
Multiagency fugitive operations remain a core tactic for the U.S. Marshals Service when it comes to tracking wanted suspects and enforcing sex-offender compliance, according to the agency’s reporting on past efforts. In a U.S. Marshals Service release summarizing fiscal 2024 activity, officials said the agency arrested more than 74,000 fugitives in that year, including nearly 9,800 sex-offender cases, figures the agency cites when arguing for coordinated, cross-jurisdictional sweeps. The arrest in Henderson County is held up as one more example of how these regional operations can cross state lines to pick up suspects wanted elsewhere.
