Operation FALCON 2008 arrests 105 fugitives in Permian Basin

Operation FALCON 2008 arrests 105 fugitives in Permian Basin
by Kathleen Thurber
Midland Reporter-Telegram

Published: Friday, July 18, 2008 3:16 AM CDT
From Staff Reports

Local law enforcement arrested 105 fugitives and cleared 121 warrants in the Permian Basin during its annual Operation FALCON effort conducted in collaboration with U.S. Marshals Service and other agencies nationwide, officials announced Thursday.

Following a four-year tradition, local officials conducted Operation FALCON (Federal and Local Cops Organized Nationally) between June 23 and June 29 in an effort to capture individuals wanted on federal and state felony charges including narcotics violations, state parole and probation violations and other crimes of violence, according to a release from the U.S. Marshals Service.

Nationally, Operation FALCON arrested 19,380 fugitives and cleared 25,087 warrants, Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey and U.S. Marshals Service Director John Clark announced Thursday.

Locally, officers from Midland's U.S. Marshals office, police from Pecos, Alpine, Midland and Odessa, sheriff's officials from Midland and Ector counties, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration officials, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials, Texas Department of Public Safety troopers and Midland Independent School District police participated, according to the release.

More than 160 state agencies, 1,425 sheriffs' and police departments and 30 federal agencies participated in the operation nationwide.

In previous years, Operation FALCON has taken place during the same week in every state, according to the release. The method was altered slightly this year in that it allowed local agencies to choose a week during June where they would be able to collaborate best and the Permian Basin choose the last part of June.

Since its inception in 2005, the program has made more than 55,800 arrests and cleared nearly 70,500 warrants. This year, those arrests included 161 people wanted for murder, 388 gang members and 1,096 sex offenders, according to the release.