By admin 
TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) – A man convicted of possession of child porn and a man accused of criminal sexual abuse were among the 20 suspects arrested in the Tucson area during a recent operation by federal, state, and local law enforcement.
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The U.S. Marshals Service said 55-year-old Edwin Van Kirk Jr. was picked up at the Roy Laos Transit Center on West Irvington Road. Days later, he was indicted by a federal grand jury on a charge of failing to register as a sex offender.
The Marshals Service said Van Kirk was convicted on federal charges of child porn possession and was living in the 700 block of North 10th Avenue in Tucson. In March, he was evicted from the home but failed to report his new address, so authorities started looking for him.
Van Kirk is a 6-foot-2, 280-pound man with hazel eyes and blonde hair. He had tattoos on his forearms, shoulders, and back. Some of the tattoos include his family’s name, an Egyptian cross, a skeleton, a skull with a knife, a dragon, and a horse with bat wings. He also has a scar on his chin.
The U.S. Marshals Service-led WANTED Violent Offender Task Force teamed up with the Tucson Police Department recently for Operation Safe Summer.
“The success of Operation Safe Summer is a testament to the collaboration we share with the United States Marshals Service, for which we are grateful,” said TPD spokesperson James Horton. “The Tucson Police Department remains committed to public safety and protecting our most vulnerable populations.”
The operation focused on sex offenders to make sure they were registering and updating their profiles.
In addition to Van Kirk’s arrest, a man wanted in Chicago was taken into custody in Tucson.
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The Marshals Service said 33-year-old Malik Simmons was wanted by the Chicago Police Department for criminal sexual abuse.
Simmons was found in a neighborhood in the Midvale Park area and arrested without incident.
Authorities said 18 other people were arrested during Operation Safe Summer, which ran from May 1 to July 14.
“Fugitives and non-compliant offenders cannot hide behind state lines or jurisdictional boundaries,” said U.S. Marshal Van Bayless. “The success of Operation Safe Summer directly reflects the power of our federal, state, and local partnerships. This joint operation highlights the unwavering commitment of law enforcement agencies working hand-in-hand to locate fugitives, enforce compliance, and ensure those who threaten our communities are safely brought into custody.”
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