Gun-related arrests snowball in Fayetteville's 'Operation Wintry Mix'

Several law enforcement agencies have been conducting "Operation Wintry Mix," which targets repeat offenders in an effort to get them off the streets.

Operation Wintry Mix is part of President Donald Trump's directive to dramatically reduce violent crime across the country.

"In other words, he has asked us to use the full range of tools at our disposal to identify, target and remove the worst offenders from our communities," said Robert Higdon Jr., the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina.

In Fayetteville, the effort has resulted in the arrest of 22 suspects. Between them, they face 62 felony offenses.

During the operation, 34 firearms were recovered, including one fully-loaded automatic rifle.

"I think the most important part of this was that it focused on those individuals that have a violent past and carry firearms and those individuals that are also involved in the drug trade," Cumberland County District Attorney Billy West said.

Higdon says one major reason for the crackdown in Fayetteville is because its proximity to of Fort Bragg and the soldiers who protect the country.

"We have an obligation to make sure, to them, to ensure that the community in which they live and work is safe and secure for them and for their families," Higdon said.

Lawmen say the goal now is to get convictions that keep offenders like these behind bars.

"There are very, very serious penalties that each of these individuals are facing because of the combination of crimes that they have committed," Higdon said. "So many of them will be facing large, long sentences when they are convicted."

"Operation Wintry Mix" is an ongoing operation, authorities said.