“OPERATION FALCON III” FUELED BY ADAM WALSH ACT
ROUNDS UP THOUSANDS OF FUGITIVES NATIONWIDE

Pensacola, FL – Deputy United States Marshals teamed up with thousands of fellow federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to conduct the largest ever round up of fugitive sex-offenders, wanted gang members, and violent felony offenders. Dubbed “Operation FALCON III” (Federal And Local Cops Organized Nationally), Deputy Marshals and their fellow task force members arrested 10,773 felony fugitives. This number includes 1,659 sex offenders and 364 documented gang members arrested nationwide.

“These numbers mean safer streets for the citizens of communities all over this country,” said Marshals Service Director John Clark. “We have not only brought those wanted fugitives to justice, but we have hopefully brought a bit of peace to their communities.”

In the Northern District of Florida, one of those fugitives was Douglas Bryant, who was wanted by the State of Alabama on two sex offense warrants, including Failure to Register as a Sexual Offender. Bryant was originally arrested in Alabama for 2nd Degree Rape of a 15 year old female with a mental disability. Deputy Marshals in Alabama forwarded an investigative lead to the U. S. Marshal Service sponsored North Florida Violent Fugitive Task Force which led task force members to several locations in Tallahassee. After several interviews and a thorough search of one residence on Bicycle Street in Tallahassee, Bryant was located hiding underneath a mattress in a box spring which was partially hollowed out in order to conceal him from authorities. The U.S. Marshals Service in North Florida is also in the process of seeking additional federal charges against Bryant under the new Adam Walsh Act.

Honing in on sexual predators and fugitive gang members, Operation FALCON III’s success comes on the heels of the “Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act,” which was signed into law by President Bush on July 27, 2006. The Act makes it a federal felony, punishable by up to ten years imprisonment, for convicted sex offenders who fail to register and who travel in interstate or foreign commerce. The U.S. Marshals Service was designated by the Act as the agency to lead the national effort to track down and arrest these fugitive felons.

“The Attorney General and the Director consider Operation FALCON III to be a significant event marking the Department’s effort to combat sex offenders and crimes against children in conjunction with the Adam Walsh Act,” said Arthur D. Roderick, the Marshals Service’s Assistant Director for Investigative Services.

“There is no question the collective criminal investigative resources of the Marshals and our federal, state, and local partners made a major contribution to this important crime initiative,” he said.

Locally, the U.S. Marshals North Florida Violent Fugitive Task Force operation cleared 313 warrants by arresting 216 fugitives throughout the Northern District of Florida which includes 23 counties from Pensacola to Gainesville. Of the 216 fugitives arrested, 96 were arrested in the Tallahassee area, including Leon, Gadsden, and Wakulla counties. Additionally, 61 fugitives were arrested in the Gainesville area and 59 fugitives were arrested in the Pensacola area. In total thirty-three (33) sex offenders and three (3) documented gang members were arrested, in addition to arrests of three (3) suspects wanted on attempted homicide warrants, fourteen (14) wanted for firearm offenses, fifty-seven (57) wanted for assault and battery crimes, nine (9) wanted for armed robbery and seventy-six (76) wanted for narcotic violations. All fugitives targeted by the task force and arrested during this operation were identified because they were classified as violent felons. U.S. Marshal Williamson stated “this operation, along with our past FALCON efforts, provides a clear indication of what law enforcement agencies can accomplish when there is cooperation on all levels—federal, state and local. When we share information and pool our resources towards a common goal, the results are safer communities for our children and a more secure homeland.”

The U.S. Marshals, North Florida Violent Fugitive Task Force, FALCON III operation consisted of 170 federal, state, and local law enforcement officers making up 17 separate arrest teams throughout the one week period. Immediately prior to the start of this operation, all state and local law enforcement officers were sworn in as special deputy U.S. marshals in order to provide them with broader jurisdictional authority. Throughout the week, this special authority from the U.S. Marshals Service empowered all FALCON III personnel to cross traditional lines of jurisdiction to track down and arrest targeted fugitives.

Law enforcement agencies participating in this fugitive initiative in north Florida included:

• Alachua County Sheriff’s Office
• Alachua City Police Department
• Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms
• Chiefland Police Department
• Escambia County Sheriff’s Office
• Florida Department of Corrections, Probation & Parole Division
• Florida Department of Law Enforcement
• Florida State Attorney’s Office, Criminal Investigations Division
• Fort Walton Beach Police Department
• Gadsden County Sheriff’s Office
• Gainesville Police Department
• Gilchrist County Sheriff’s Office
• High Springs Police Department
• Leon County Sheriff’s Office
• Levy County Sheriff’s Office
• Milton Police Department
• Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office
• Pensacola Police Department
• Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office
• Tallahassee Police Department
• United States Marshal Service
• United States Postal Inspection Service
• University of Florida Police Department
• Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office

Assistant Chief Frank Chiumento, who served as the U.S. Marshals supervisor of the FALCON III operation in the Northern District of Florida stated “this operation is an excellent example of what can be achieved when law enforcement agencies combine their resources. We are appreciative of the dedication and devotion of all the law enforcement officers who worked long and grueling hours to ensure these violent offenders were taken off the streets. We’re thankful we had a safe and successful operation.”

Fugitives whose cases were adopted by Operation FALCON III were sought by the Marshals Service, ATF, DEA, HUD-OIG, DHS-ICE, other federal, state, and local agencies, United States Attorneys, and courts at every level of government. Additionally, Operation FALCON task force members handled cases referred by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, as well as those of foreign fugitives believed to be in this country. The Marshals Service also received support from the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) at the Department of Justice. Interpol and the Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service assisted in the investigations of persons wanted by law enforcement worldwide. Seven foreign and seven international fugitives who were arrested during Operation FALCON III now face deportation or extradition proceedings.

Director Clark expressed his deep gratitude to officers from every agency that participated in Operation FALCON III. “I applaud the accomplishments of every deputy Marshal, police officer, detective, trooper, investigator, deputy sheriff, and special agent who put their investigative efforts to the test and their lives on the line to make communities across the country safe,” Clark said.

“For many of these men and women participating in FALCON III, they were just doing their jobs; but I’m sure families across the country would beg to differ, especially when it comes to the safety of our children.”

PHOTOS/VIDEO AVAILABLE

The Marshals Service has photos of actual arrests during the Operation available to press at www.usmarshals.gov/falcon3, as well as fact sheets on arrests nationwide and in each of the participating districts.  Dossiers on the “FALCON 15,” describing 15 of the most significant cases closed during the Operation are available to media at the site.  A ten-minute B-roll video package for broadcasters will be available for satellite distribution on November 2, at 2:00 – 2:15 pm EST (11:00 – 11:15 am PST) and at 7:00 – 7:15 pm EST (4:00 – 4:15 pm PST) at C-Band coordinates (IA 6 T-11 Downlink Frequency 3920 V 93 degrees WL), and on November 3, at 4:00 – 4:15 am EST (1:00 – 1:15 am PDT) at C-Band coordinates (IA 6 T-17 Downlink Frequency 4040 V 93 degrees WL).

PARTICIPATING AGENCIES
A complete list of all of the federal, state, and local agencies that participated in Operation
FALCON is available at the Marshals Service website at www.usmarshals.gov.