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DENVER, CO---Just one year after the U.S. Marshals Service announced the apprehension of more than 10,000 violent fugitives as part of Operation FALCON (Federal And Local Cops Organized Nationally), the USMS has done it again. U.S. Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzalez and Marshals Service Director John F. Clark have revealed that more than 9,000 fugitives, including 1,102 fugitives wanted for committing felony sex offenses, violent sexual assaults, and failure to register as sex offenders, had been arrested during Operation FALCON II, which took place from April 17 to April 23. Some 140 fugitives were arrested in Colorado.
Over the course of the seven-day operation, Deputy United States Marshals, in cooperation with hundreds of federal, state, and local law enforcement partners in 27 states, primarily west of the Mississippi, and the territories of Guam and Northern Mariana Islands arrested more than 9,000 violent fugitives. One of those fugitives was Mark Hayward, who was wanted in Douglas County for kidnapping, sexual assault and robbery. A team of Deputy U.S. Marshals from the District of Maryland and state and local law enforcement officers from the area arrested Hayward in Baltimore, MD on April 20, 2006. Deputy U.S. Marshals and other investigators from Colorado, Nebraska, Missouri and Maryland assisted in the investigation and played vital roles locating and capturing Hayward.
"Like the original FALCON, this operation was an enormous success," said Ed Zahren, U.S. Marshal for the District of Colorado. "The capture of Hayward and the hundreds of others we have arrested across the country demonstrate the power of law enforcement when we partner up with our federal, state, and local counterparts."
Like last year, Operation FALCON II coincided with the Department of Justice's "National Crime Victims' Rights Week." In announcing the results of the fugitive initiative, Attorney General Gonzales praised the efforts of both the Marshals Service and the hundreds of participating agencies, noting that "the significance of holding it during this week was that it allows the victims and their families to find some element of closure. Just as we recognize the survivors for their courage, we applaud all of the law enforcement officers for their dedication."
In Colorado, 140 fugitives were arrested and over 200 felony warrants were cleared. Fifteen were wanted for violent sexual offenses, including rape, forcible sodomy, and sexual assault, and six were wanted on charges for failure to register as sex offenders. Deputy Marshals and local task force officers also arrested individuals wanted for homicide, robbery, narcotics charges, and other violent felony crimes. Investigators also seized weapons, drugs, cash, and vehicles during the operation.
Director Clark reinforced the sentiments of both the Attorney General and Marshal Zahren. "It is fitting that the theme of this year's National Crime Victims' Rights Week is 'Strength in Unity,'" stated the Director. "Operation FALCON II does justice to this theme by honoring the victims and their families who have suffered indignities at the hands of violent criminals. The force-multiplier effect of the Marshals Service working together with thousands of our federal, state, and local partners has, once again, produced results that are unmatched in law enforcement."
Nationally, Deputy U.S. Marshals and their law enforcement partners arrested a total of 9,037 fugitives, and cleared more than 10,419 felony warrants during the seven-day operation. Task force members arrested 462 fugitives wanted for a variety of violent sex offenses, 311 fugitives for other felony sex crimes, 783 unregistered sex offenders, 73 homicide arrests with 87 warrants cleared, and 163 documented gang members. They also cleared 2,941 drug cases, and seized 111 guns, more than $120,265 in cash, and more than 91 kilograms of narcotics.
Fugitives whose cases were adopted by Operation FALCON II were wanted by the Marshals Service, other federal agencies, United States Attorneys, and courts at every level of government. Because the highest priority was given to sexual predators and unregistered convicted sex offenders, the USMS entered into a partnership with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which provided high-profile cases and facilitated contacts with state agencies that maintain sex offender registries. The USMS also worked closely with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to ensure maximum support for cases involving narcotics and weapons.
The Marshals Service Office of Public Affairs has photos of actual arrests during Operation FALCON II available at www.usmarshals.gov/falcon2 as well as fact sheets on arrests nationwide and in each of the agency's participating. 4-28-06
© 2006 North
Country Gazette
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