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

COLUMBIA, SC – 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 and wanted gang members. 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.

“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 South Carolina, one of those fugitives was Johnnie Williams, who was wanted by Lexington County for two counts of Criminal Sexual Conduct with a Minor. Williams, 26, was taken into custody inside a mobile home on Old Orangeburg Road just after 5:00 AM on Wednesday, October 25. When deputy marshals and task force agents initially asked a female occupant if Williams was inside, she indicated he was at work. Soon after, investigators discovered Williams hiding in a back bedroom and he was taken into custody without further incident. The female, Sheri Crawford, was also taken into custody and charged with Harboring a Fugitive. Both suspects were booked into the Lexington County Detention Center.

The allegations against Williams and many others are very serious. In South Carolina, the Marshals have a longstanding partnership with many federal, state and local agencies that has led directly to the apprehension of many of these violent offenders. In fact, since the inception of South Carolina’s fugitive task force in 1986, we have located and apprehended more than 10,000 fugitive felons.

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, Operation Intercept cleared 684 warrants, arresting 392 felons. Those numbers include 51 sex offenders arrested, clearing 62 warrants. U.S. Marshal Brown praised the operation’s success.

“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,” said U.S. Marshal Johnny Mack Brown. “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.”

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.