US Marshal’s Falcon program arrest 35,000 felons in June www.privateofficer.com
Posted by privateofficernews on July 10, 2009
Willie Conway, a convicted sexual predator and member of an Illinois street gang, is no longer on the street. The same is true of Joseph Christian Fontana. He was wanted in Santa Rosa County, Florida, for rape of a minor, child pornography, and 25 counts of sexual molestation.
They are just two of 433 people wanted for murder, 900 gang members and more than 2,300 sex offenders who were arrested this June as part of Operation FALCON (Federal and Local Cops Organized Nationally).
ABC 7 Talkback:
Across the country, federal marshals joined forces again with state and local law enforcement to target career criminals, to reduce crime by taking the so-called worst of the worst off the street. On Thursday they officially announced the results of the crackdown.
The Marshals have been conducting Operation FALCON annually since 2005, but this is the biggest operation to date: more than 35,000 fugitives were rounded up in the month of June alone.
Since its inception in 2005, Operation FALCON has made 91,086 arrests and cleared 117,874 warrants.
“I believe it could be called the largest law enforcement operation ever conducted in our history,” said John F. Clark, Director of the U.S. Marshals Service. “In fact, those arrested in this operation had a combined criminal history of more than 138,000 prior arrests.”
Locally, the operation netted 446 felony arrests in the D.C. metropolitan area.
Operation FALCON in the D.C. area consisted of approximately 300 federal, state and local law enforcement officers, making up 35 separate arrest teams working throughout the period. Each participating local officer was sworn in as a Special Deputy U.S. Marshal immediately prior to the start of this operation. This special authority empowers them to cross traditional lines of jurisdiction to track down and arrest targeted fugitives throughout the operation.
One of the suspects taken off the street locally was Chris Ray, who was wanted in Prince George’s County for six counts of attempted murder. Chris Ray allegedly opened fire on a nightclub security guard and five of the club’s patrons. At the time of that offense, Ray was wanted on two felony warrants from Montgomery County (web news) for probation violation and aggravated assault. Ray was arrested in Washington after attempting to flee from FALCON investigators.
Another local suspect apprehended by FALCON was Frank Harris, who was wanted out of the District of Columbia for armed robbery. When investigators arrested Frank Harris, who was also wanted in Prince George’s and Montgomery Counties on outstanding felony warrants, they recovered a sawed-off shotgun and ammunition from within his reach.
Glenn Wade was accused of shooting two people at a Prince William County (web news) bus terminal. Tyree Harvey was wanted for murder and two carjackings. Both are now behind bars.
As the recession continues, police say there are indications that the violence could spike. The people they are targeting are almost always repeat offenders and increasingly ruthless.
“The goal of Operation FALCON is simple – to make communities safer,” said Clark. “Each time we wrap up a FALCON operation in any location, there are less dangerous individuals – and fewer threats to the community – than before we arrived there. That is very gratifying.”
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