Minneapolis, MN – The U.S. Marshals Service, assisted by nearly 100 law enforcement agencies at the federal, state and local level, arrested 112 fugitives and cleared 116 warrants in Minnesota as part of a nationwide operation known as FALCON (Federal and Local Cops Organized Nationally).

The campaign resulted in 29 arrests of assault suspects; 14 burglary/larceny suspects; 19 narcotics suspects; and seven robbery suspects.

In Operation FALCON-2008, as in prior operations, an emphasis was placed on the capture of violent offenders, gang members and sex offenders. In Minnesota, the operation arrested several sex offenders. Among those brought in was William Won Vanzee.

Vanzee was wanted in Hennepin County on one count of failure to register as a sexual offender. Authorities learned Vanzee was living in Dayton, Minn., and began surveillance of the residence. On July 1, officers observed Vanzee exiting the residence and arrested him without incident.

Operation FALCON was first initiated by the USMS in 2005, and swears in each participating local officer as a Special Deputy U.S. Marshal. Since its inception, Operation FALCON has made more than 36,500 arrests and cleared more than 45,000 warrants. It continues to be the largest and most successful fugitive apprehension effort in U.S. Marshals history.

“We are pleased that local law enforcement often looks upon operations such as FALCON as an opportunity to address fugitive apprehension issues in their communities,” said John F. Clark, Director of the U.S. Marshals Service. “In the end, when this operation is over, our local partners are the people who will continue to live and work in the communities that Operation FALCON serves. We are committed to leaving behind a safer community for all of them.”

Operation FALCON photos, fact sheets, list of participating agencies, statistics, graphics and more are available to the media at http://www.usmarshals.gov/falcon08/media.htm.

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