CLEVELAND — Despite the recovery of 35 formerly missing children in an effort headed by the U.S. Marshal’s Service called Operation Safety Net, two Youngstown children are among several still missing.

Leantwana Bates, 17, and Yalonda Bates, 15, were reported missing from Youngstown on April 18, 2020, and are now believed to be near the east side of Cleveland but still missing, the U.S. Marshal’s Service said in a news release.

Leantwana is 5-foot-3 and about 135 pounds. Yalonda is 5-foot-3 and about 100 pounds.

U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott of the Northern District of Ohio announced results from the monthlong Operation Safety Net this week. The operation’s goal was to recover missing juveniles from the Cleveland area.

The children recovered were between the ages of 13 and 18. About 20 percent were tied to human trafficking cases. Those were referred to the Cuyahoga County Human Trafficking Task Force.

Five children are still missing, including the two Youngstown girls. Members of the task force and its local partners will continue to work over the next several weeks to bring the final five children — and other children — to safety, Elliott said.

Based on the results of the operation, Elliott has created a permanent Missing Child Unit throughout the 40 counties of northern Ohio to focus on missing, abused, neglected and trafficked juveniles.

“This was new unchartered territory and the first time we conducted an operation like this,” Elliott said. “I am very proud of our law enforcement, community and media partners who worked tirelessly to bring our missing and most vulnerable children to safety.

“The establishment of a permanent unit in northern Ohio will ensure that our most vulnerable missing children will continue to be found and brought to safety,” he said.

Children were located and recovered in Cleveland, Euclid, Akron, Mansfield, Columbus, Miami and other cities in Ohio.

Anyone with tips on the five still-missing children can call the anonymous U.S. Marshals tip line at 1-866-492-6833.

The agencies that participated in the operation were the police departments in Cleveland, East Cleveland and Newburg and the Cuyahoga County sheriff’s office.

Other agencies and individuals who joined in the project are the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Cuyahoga County Department of Job and Family Services, ClevelandMissing.org, Cleveland child services agency Bellefaire JCB (formerly Jewish Children’s Bureau) and Boardman native Bernie Kosar. Media partners also assisted.