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Albuquerque, NM – Keith Hasson was arrested
on June 29, 2011, in the 22,000 block of Victory in Canoga, California. Starting
in 2005, the United States Marshals Service Pacific Southwest Regional Fugitive
Task Force in California has worked with Deputy Marshals from Albuquerque, N.M.
to investigate and apprehend federal fugitive Keith Hasson. Hasson had a Federal
warrant from a 2005 indictment from the U.S. District Court in New Mexico for
conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, continuing criminal enterprise
and conspiracy to launder money. Hasson was arrested without incident in the
residence of a female associate. On June 6, 2011, the United States Marshals
Service chose the case on Keith Hasson to elevate to a priority nationwide
manhunt. Hundreds of criminal cases on wanted fugitives are reviewed to be on
the Marshals Service Top 15 Most Wanted but very few are selected.
Based on information obtained through investigations this week, search warrants
were served throughout the Los Angeles area on residences known to have aided
and assisted Hasson with his flight from justice. When Deputies served a search
warrant on the home of one of Hasson’s family members they found close to 202
thousand dollars in cash.
Hasson, 45, is considered to be the leader of a criminal enterprise responsible
for large scale distribution of cocaine and marijuana throughout the United
States. His organization operated from 1999 to 2005, generating more than $20
million in cash and assets. Hasson’s brother, Anthony Hasson, received more than
24 years in prison for his conviction in the same criminal case.
Hasson has an extensive criminal history dating back
to 1981, including arrests for attempted murder, robbery, assault with a deadly
weapon, vehicle theft, burglary and possession with intent to distribute. Hasson
is also wanted for questioning in two gang murders. He has a previous federal
conviction for conspiracy to deliver cocaine.
United States Marshal for the District of New Mexico, Conrad Candelaria, said
“The impressive and unyielding work of the Marshals Service has written the
final chapter of this career criminal that spanned decades of terrorizing our
good citizens in many communities throughout the United States; a nationwide
manhunt and the arrest of fugitive Hasson has proven once again that America’s
Star will persevere and will bring to justice those that offend our nation’s
laws. I am especially honored and proud of the Deputy United States Marshals
that are assigned to the District of New Mexico because they lead the
unrelenting charge, until fugitive Hasson was apprehended”.
The investigation into Hasson’s whereabouts took over 6 years due to the fact
that he has family ties and associates across the United States including
Arizona, California, Nevada, Texas, Missouri, New York, North Carolina and
Georgia. Investigators believed Hasson had access to significant financial
resources.
The United States Marshals Service Top 15 Most Wanted cases focus on career
criminals with a history of violence and weapons convictions. The violence cases
includes but are not limited to: charges or convictions for murder, attempted
murder, manslaughter, assault, battery, sexual assault, firearms offenses,
arson, child molestation, abduction, and other serious crimes against persons.
The Marshals Service also features other cases such as major drug kingpin cases,
to include fugitives adopted by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force
(OCDETF), and fugitives identified as members or associates of a violent gang or
criminal organization. The Marshals Service Top 15 can also be cases where the
fugitive has committed a crime, which by its nature has gained national,
international, district, or regional attention, or which has been identified as
a special interest case by the Department of Justice. Significant state, local,
or other federal agency cases can be USMS Top 15 cases when they have been
formally referred to the USMS for investigation.
Additional information about the U.S. Marshals
can be found at http://www.usmarshals.gov.
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