Eight children considered missing or endangered were recently recovered by U.S. Marshals during an investigation in the New Orleans metro area, including Southern Mississippi.

During the operations which occurred from Aug. 1 to Sept. 30., the U.S. Marshals Service was able to locate and help eight missing children. An additional three children returned home on their own during the operation and three more were located, according to the U.S. Marshals Service.

Investigations with the Missing Child Unit led to recoveries in Phoenix, Arizona, where a teenage girl was on her way to Las Vegas to meet up with an older man she met on the internet.

Two other recoveries were made in a rural area of southern Mississippi.

One arrest was made in St. Bernard Parish involving an adult family member of a missing teen.

A rifle stolen out of New Orleans was recovered in Tangipahoa Parish on August 27th during one of the MCU investigations that also involves possible gang activity.

The two-month operation also uncovered allegations of human sex trafficking of minors during several of the cases.