For Immediate Release

Brian A. Parrish

Chief Deputy United Stats Marshal

(502) 588-8020

Louisville, Kentucky – On May 31^st, 2011 the United States Marshals Service along with our local, state and federal partners launched “Operation Derby City Overwatch”. 

The operation was one of the largest and most ambitious for the agency to date and a direct result of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act.  The goals of the operation were to verify the sex offender registry in Jefferson County, ensure compliance and track down those deemed non-compliant.  While accomplishing this goal, the U.S. Marshals Service partnered with eight other agencies.  They include:  the Louisville Metro Police Department, the Jefferson Co. Sheriff’s Office, Kentucky Probation and Parole, the Kentucky State Police, the United States Secret Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Shively Police Department.  Without this collaborative effort, the operation would not have been successful. 

The total number of sex offenders currently registered in Jefferson County is 1081.  During the operation, we completed 1034 compliance checks; the remaining 47 offenders were either shown as “incarcerated” or “out-of-state”.  Below are some other pertinent statistics relating to the operation:

• Total USMS personnel participating – 27 (824 man-hours)

• Total State/Local personnel participating – 95 (2166 man-hour)

• Total man-hours - 2990

• Total participation of officers/agents - 122

• Total number of sex offender arrests – 9

• Number of federal failure to register investigations opened – 12

• Number of offenders under investigation by LMPD for non-compliance – 59

• Number of offenders identified for follow-up by LMPD before an official non-compliance investigation is opened – 37

• Total numbers of items seized – 23  ** Description of items seized: (5) Marijuana, (5) Drug Paraphernalia, $350 cash, 380 Handgun, 380 Ammunition, (5) Cell phone, (2) Crack cocaine, Pictures of Child Pornography, Sex toys, Pornographic magazines

Significant arrests during Operation Derby City Overwatch included:

• Eddie OWENS: Possession of Child Pornography, Failure to Comply with Sex Offender Registry

• Delphon PORTER: (3) Rape III, Registrant Prohibited Social Networking (Facebook)

• Elijah YOUNG: Failure to Comply with Sex Offender Registry

• Gary W. TAYLOR: Probation Violation, Sex Offender Conditional Release Violation

• Bruce GARNER: Failure to Comply with Sex Offender Registry

• Jeffrey JONES: Theft

• Kenneth MILES:  Flagrant Non-Support

• Donald BOLIN:  Failure to Appear (DUI, Indiana)

• Louis NEFF: Failure to Register (Bowling Green warrant) 

The Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 provides that “In order to protect the public from sex offenders and offenders against children …” the “Attorney General shall use the resources of Federal law enforcement, including the United States Marshals Service, to assist jurisdictions in locating and apprehending sex offenders who violate sex offender registration requirements.”

The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) has three distinct missions pursuant to the Act:

• Assist state, local, tribal, and territorial authorities in the location and apprehension of non-compliant sex offenders;

• Investigate violations of 18 USC § 2250 and related offenses; and

• Assist in the identification and location of sex offenders relocated as a result of a major

  disaster.

The USMS serves as the lead federal law enforcement agency responsible for investigating sex offender registration violations under the Act, and continues to assist federal, state, local, and foreign law enforcement agencies in locating and apprehending fugitive sex offenders through its network of interagency fugitive task forces.

To perform these duties effectively and to avoid duplication of effort, the USMS works closely with its law enforcement counterparts, as well as the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and the Department of Justice Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering and Tracking (SMART) Office. For additional information, please contact your local U.S. Marshals Service office, or visit www.usmarshals.gov.