Fugitive Investigations
The U.S. Marshals Service has a long history of providing assistance and expertise to other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in support of their fugitive investigations.
Working with authorities at the federal, state, tribal, and local levels, U.S. Marshals- led fugitive task forces arrested more than 84,000 fugitives, clearing nearly 100,000 warrants.
Program Overview
15 Most Wanted
The U.S. Marshals Service established the 15 Most Wanted Fugitive Program in 1983 in an effort to prioritize the investigation and apprehension of high-profile offenders who are considered to be some of the country's most dangerous fugitives. These offenders tend to be career criminals with histories of violence or whose instant offense(s) pose a significant threat to public safety.
Current and past fugitives in this program include murderers, sex offenders, major drug kingpins, organized crime figures, and individuals wanted for high-profile financial crimes. Since the program began in 1983, 237 "15 Most Wanted fugitives" have been arrested.
Raymond Ernest Abbott
David Allen Bonness
Anthony Seth Burroughs
Jose Fernando Bustos-Diaz
Larry Porter Chism
David Benjamin Creamer
Lester William Eubanks
Robert Lee King
John Reynaldo Panaligan
John Joseph Ruffo
Anthony Ojeda
Michael Baltimore
Derrell Brown
Araceli Medina
Edgar Casian-Garcia
Did you know?
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75,846 fugitives arrested/cleared by U.S. Marshals Service in fiscal 2022.
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303 fugitives arrested per day (based on 250 operational days) on average in fiscal 2022.
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95,425 warrants cleared by U.S. Marshals Service arrests in fiscal 2022.
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There were 720 International removals (extraditions, deportations and expulsions) in fiscal 2022.
Major Cases
The U.S. Marshals Service established its Major Case Fugitive Program in 1985 in an effort to supplement the successful 15 Most Wanted Fugitive Program. Much like the 15 Most Wanted Fugitive Program, the Major Case Fugitive Program prioritizes the investigation and apprehension of high-profile offenders who are considered to be some of the country's most dangerous individuals.
These offenders tend to be career criminals with histories of violence or whose instant offense(s) pose a significant threat to public safety.
Fugitive Task Forces
The U.S. Marshals Service has a long history of providing assistance and expertise to other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in support of their fugitive investigations.
The U.S. Marshals Service is the lead agency for 56 interagency fugitive task forces located throughout the United States, as well as eight Congressionally-funded regional fugitive task forces. These task forces, staffed by federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, target the most dangerous fugitives.
International Investigations
The U.S. Marshals Service has been designated by the Department of Justice as the primary agency to apprehend fugitives who are wanted by foreign nations and believed to be in the United States.
Also, the Marshals Service is the primary agency responsible for tracking and extraditing fugitives who are apprehended in foreign countries and wanted for prosecution in the United States.
The U.S. Marshals Service, which has statutory responsibility for all international, federal and state extraditions, sees to it that there is no safe haven for criminals who flee the territorial boundaries of the United States.
Sex Offender Investigations
The Sex Offender Investigation Branch (SOIB) was created following the passage of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act (AWA), which became law on July 27, 2006.
The Sex Offender Investigation Branch provides a vast array of resources and specialized expertise to help facilitate execution of multiple missions across the agency.
The three principal responsibilities under the Adam Walsh Act (AWA) are: to assist state, local, tribal and territorial authorities in the location and apprehension of non-compliant and fugitive sex offenders; to investigate violations of the Act for federal prosecution; and to assist in the identification and location of sex offenders relocated as a result of a major disaster.
In addition to the Adam Walsh Act (AWA), under authority granted by the International Megan's Law, the U.S. Marshals Service works collaboratively with the Department of Homeland Security, Angel Watch Center (AWC), to ensure that traveling sex offenders identified by the Angel Watch Center are compliant with their sex offender registration requirements and have reported their intent to travel as mandated by law.
National Sex Offender Targeting Center
The U.S. Marshals Service National Sex Offender Targeting Center collaborates with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the Department of Justice's Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering and Tracking Office to support all levels of law enforcement in pursuing unregistered and non-compliant sex offenders.
Martin Alvarado
Sherman Jackson
Marlon Winters
Jose Hernandez
Jesse Bussey
Guillermo Delasma Ramirez
Bruce Sawhill
Daniel Saggese
Jose Garcia
Missing Children
Under expanded authority granted through the 2015 Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act (JVTA), the U.S. Marshals Service assists state, local and other federal law enforcement agencies in locating and recovering missing children upon request of those agencies.
Assistance in these cases is generally focused on "critically missing child" cases involving suspected crimes of violence, or where an elevated risk to a missing child exists. Since the inception of the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act, the U.S. Marshals Service has recovered more than 2,740 missing children.
Behavioral Analysis Unit
The Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) is a multidisciplinary branch that provides investigative and operational support to the U.S. Marshals Service, as well as outside law enforcement agencies, through the application of behavioral and psychological knowledge and principles. The Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) provides support based on the fields of clinical and correctional psychology, forensic and behavioral science, scientific research, and criminal investigative analysis. The Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) has three areas of focus: Operational Support Research, and Threat Assessment/Threat Management (TATM) a joint JSD-Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) collaboration
Operational Support personnel serve the U.S. Marshals Service, as well as other law enforcement agencies, through case consultation and operational support. On‐scene operational support on a case‐by‐case basis can also be provided. The Research team focuses on conducting scientifically valid, empirical research aimed at topics with pragmatic operational relevance, such as non-compliant sex offender apprehension, violence risk assessment, case prioritization and target selection, and psychological safeguarding against vicarious trauma.
U.S. Marshals Service Threat Assessment/Threat Management (TATM) is a hybrid team serving JSD but embedded in the Investigation Operation Division (IOD) Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU). Threat Assessment/Threat Management (TATM) personnel possess specific subject-matter training and expertise in topics such as threat assessment and mitigation, pathways to violence, interview and interrogation, risk assessment, and linguistic analysis.
Violent Crime and Gang Enforcement
The U.S. Marshals Service Violent Crime and Gang Enforcement model is a robust, data-driven and cost-effective multi-level approach that targets violent fugitives with gang affiliations as the centerpiece of its methodology. The Violent Crime and Gang Enforcement model utilizes the U.S. Marshals Service fugitive task force network to coordinate efforts and the expertise of various federal, state, and local partner agencies to execute its initiatives. This approach allows for the removal of violent fugitive gang members, weapons, ammunition, and narcotics from communities in an effective, focused, and cost-efficient manner.
The U.S. Marshals Service is a key member of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Neighborhood's Anti-Gang Training Program, National Public Safety Partnership, and the National Gang Intelligence Center.
Technical Operations
The Technical Operations Group (TOG) provides the U.S. Marshal Service, other federal agencies, and any requesting state or local law enforcement agency, with the most timely and technologically advanced electronic surveillance and investigative intelligence available in the world. Technical Operations Group operates 29 field offices throughout the U.S. and Mexico.
The Technical Operations Group (TOG) is comprised of highly trained criminal investigators, pilots, intelligence analysts and administrative personnel.
Criminal Intelligence
The Criminal Intelligence Branch provides investigative research and analysis in support of various Marshals Service operations and provides oversight of special law enforcement information systems used by the Marshals Service and management of data sharing projects with other agencies.
International Megan’s Law (IML)
The International Megan's Law (IML) complaint form is specifically designed for those individuals whose travel or attempted travel was affected by an International Travel Notice sent by the United States Marshals Service (USMS). The United States Marshals Service will not review complaints about any aspects of International Megan's Law that are not based upon U.S. Marshals Service notifications, including the passport provisions, or notifications made by other agencies.