Feds: 'Worst Of The Worst' Corralled

Sweep By U.S. Marshals Nabs Nearly 11,000 Fugitives In 24 States

(AP)  Nearly 11,000 sex offenders, gang members and other fugitives were swept up in what the Justice Department on Thursday called a sting targeting the "worst of the worst" criminals on the run.

Last week's roundup, led by the U.S. Marshals Service, included Allen Marksberry, an unregistered sex offender in Rickman, Tenn., who was baby-sitting several young children when he was arrested on Oct. 24.

Also nabbed were Demetrius Avery Jackson, an accused cop killer in Birmingham, Ala., and Eric Dewayne Meneese, a Crips gang member, in Nashville, Tenn.

The weeklong sting, code-named Operation Falcon III, also led to the shooting death of a Georgia fugitive who was killed by authorities as he came out of his house, officials said. Additionally, the mother of a fugitive in Florida fired — but missed — police approaching her home. Both incidents are under investigation, said John F. Clark, director of the Marshals Service.

The roundup, staged in Pennsylvania and 23 other states east of the Mississippi River, targeted "the worst of the worst fugitive felons in the country," Attorney General Albert Gonzales said at a Washington news conference.

"America's neighborhoods are safer today, thanks to Operation Falcon III," Gonzales said.

Two earlier stings — Falcons I and II — were held in April over the last two years. Gonzales and Clark denied that next week's elections played any part in scheduling the latest crackdown.

"I can assure you that the coordination of getting 3,000-plus officers and agents, and everybody together to do this, just takes a lot of coordination," Clark said, adding that he wanted to do the roundup in the fall — before the winter weather hit.

In all, Gonzales said, officials caught 10,733 fugitives — including 1,659 sex offenders, 364 gang members and thousands of others sought on kidnapping, robbery, burglary, carjacking and weapons charges. More than 230 weapons were seized.

Those totals represent a fraction of doors knocked on, liquor store drive-bys, construction site surveillances and tips chased down by agents during the weeklong sweep. Finding the fugitives — even at their homes in the early-morning hours — proved to be a hit-or-miss mission for the federal, state and local authorities.

A six-hour sting in Washington, D.C., last week, for example, netted none of the accused drug dealers sought by a team of seven agents from the U.S. Marshals, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, State Department and the city's Metropolitan Police Department.

"He was there a week or so ago," muttered Marshals Inspector Robert Hoffmaster, after a pre-daybreak search of a house for an accused drug dealer.

Of the sex offenders nabbed, 971 had failed to register with authorities as required by law — what Gonzales called the largest number ever captured in a single law enforcement effort.

Gonzales said prosecutors likely would seek to charge some of them under the 2006 Adam Walsh Act. That law, approved by Congress last summer, created federal penalties for sex offenders who fail register with communities.

The law was named for 6-year-old Adam Walsh, who was abducted from a Florida shopping mall and murdered in 1981.

[mjv2944]

Just think, it would be a lot easier to get illegal immigrants, they seem to congragate at a certain place every day looking for work. Why aren't they picking these people up and shipping them out? I bet half the people picked up will be out on the streets within days. Our justice system definitely leans towards to criminal.

[gmond]

Gee, the feds are catching real criminals for a change?

[fascistusa]

Police State America. All males are FUGITIVES.

What a great way to live.

Wish they would round up more CORRUPT REPUBLINAZIS.

[meboard]

They missed one at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave in D.C.!!!

[usawatchman]

2 Border Patrol agents face 20 years in prison
Officers prosecuted , wounded drug trafficker
given full immunity in exchange for testimony

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=51417


YOUR EITHER ON THE SIDE OF A CORRUPT GOVERNMENT
or
YOUR ON THE SIDE OF THE PEOPLE
there is no middle of the road..

[phatcrayonz]

WHAT ABOUT THE CROOKED POLITICIANS IN D.C.?

[phatcrayonz]

THEY FORGOT THE OTHER FOLEYS IN CONGRESS, THOSE CHILD MOLESTERS!

[rharrin1]

ARE ALL OF THEM TERRORISTS

[ov442]

I guess i just dont understand... why would they have to coordinate all this massive manhunt campaign in 24 states for a 1 week period to get them all? If they can prove by doing a little bit of detective work (their jobs) they can find these guys or lots of them, why dont they do this all year? why save them up for a 1 week long roundup? I dont understand the point to saving up the criminals and letting them run free for 12 months until the next roundup time comes around to stage another one of these things.... do they only get extra help for it or budgeted for it once a year? if so, the criminals will get wise to it and go in hiding for the week they do this every year... whats the deal really?

[bluestardad]

Where is Mark Foley? Why is he not in Jail? He solicited underage children for fornication. Why has he not been charged? Why is he permitted to roam free after his 30 days in Rehab? Is there a different standard for child predators if they are from Congress? If he were on Dateline NBC he would have been arrested. Please let us know and take action, the American People are watching.

[usawatchman]

ov442

they are doing it for show...
they have to show how they are not the CRIMINALS that they ARE..

LOOK how GREAT = G.W. Bush is..!

As soon as the election is over,
(providing Republicans win majority)
we are going back high gas prices,
less civil liberties,bad stock market
more government surveillance...etc

If the Dem. gain majority, I suspect Bush will fabricate
a CRISIS (terrorism, war, look out for that boggy man...etc)
during the lame duck period (Nov. to Jan)
so he can declare martial law and imprison the American people
and take control..

[gunnerv1]

I haven't ever seen the DemocRATS do anything of this nature since I turned 17 and started reading the newspapers. (Ya don't hug slimeballs and ask them where can I kiss it and make it well) I really don't care what party is in office as long as they get the slime off of the streets. I proud that they got'em!

[gunnerv1]

Do you really want to know who controls the gasoline prices? It ain't the politcal party in office Lib's or Con's. Now listen carefully, because I'm only going to scream it once---- IT'S WALL STREET SPECULATORS THAT CONTROL GASOLINE PRICES. Whenever something happens anywhere in the world that may affect the price, guess whats happening on wall street. The only thing that the politcal party in office controls is the Federal Excise Tax on it. God, how many times do you have to hear this. Your heads are about as thick as a brick.

[olebd]

I love how they call this a "sting" Aren't they supposed to be doing this as part of their JOB anyway??? They should be making this effort all the time.

[rsoxfan1123]

GunnerV1-you think bush and his Daddy don't have OPEC connections? who do you think sets the price of crude?

[rsoxfan1123]

the "worst of the worst" is stil loose in our presidential office....

[fascistusa]

The whole government is CORRUPT.

Our nation is Fascist.

America is a Police State.

I wonder what will happen when those 2 million people already jailed figure out no one supports our FASCIST Government anymore. Things could get really messy.

[tonytx58]

isnt it funny that the republicans waited till just before the election to do something. I guess they must be scared. they should be.

[bellal-2009]

Alberto Gonzalez has done many of these sting operations. He's tough on crime, tough on drugs and tough on child porn. It's just amazing how many people post here who are more concerned with the rights of criminals and terrorists than getting these scum bags off the streets. I can't even imagine how many children Alberto Gonzalez has saved with his tough policies. I wihs the guy would run for president.

[bob_burd]

It's amazing how many morons and jerks can't see past politics to cheer the arrests of 11,000 criminals of the lowest order. Get a life, fools.

Anyone who doesn't feel good about this has something to hide themselves and is likely looking over their shoulder. Who wouldn't be happy about seeing *** offenders arrested......except for other *** offenders.

Selah

[bob_burd]

It's amazing how many morons and jerks can't see past politics to cheer the arrests of 11,000 criminals of the lowest order. Get a life, fools.

Anyone who doesn't feel good about this has something to hide themselves and is likely looking over their shoulder. Who wouldn't be happy about seeing *** offenders arrested......except for other *** offenders.

Selah

[bellal-2009]

RIGHT ON, Selah. I was beginning to feel like the only sane person left.

[one_american]

Three cheers for our law enforcement!

This is great news for the safety of Americans.

For the whiners who don't follow the law: you're next.

[tonytx58]

if the morons we had in our government were doing their jobs there wouldnt be 11000 caught at one time. there would also be 500 BILLION dollars that was spent in Iraq and Afghanistan for catching these criminals. I am all for getting the bad guys but its morons like you that cheer these idiots that have helped screw up this country. They cant even protect our kids in the halls of congress nevermind catch terrorists like Bin Laden. im amazed Bush and Gonzalez didnt highlight Cindy and the other protesting moms they have put on the 10 most wanted list(laugh).

[ispeakfreely]

I just would feel much better if this happened every few months instead of of a week before the election.

[pudd54]

With the military%u2019s new policies on accepting personnel with criminal records, I wonder how many we can send to Iraq? Of course they could not be gay.

[bellal-2009]

Alberto Gonzalez, you are awesome! Keep up the good work, protecting the children of the world from predators.

[bluestardad]

snflwr, can't you figure out how to post yet?

[bluestardad]

Where is mark foley why is he not in Jail too?

[nadeau4201]

SNFLW4REAL.... YOU REALLY NEED TO STAY ON YOUR MEDS

[tpeks40]

To snflwr4real,
Did you forget to take your medicine again? I bet you did. Now go to the nearest psychiatric hospital and listen to what the good doctors tell you. If you happen to be a scientologist, just go jump off the nearest bridge, as they don't believe in mental illness, but we all know better after enduring your mindless rants.

[grumpas]

Here I thought snflwr4real was having some sort of a fit! Apparantly he hates bikers????? I guess Gonzalez missed Georgie/Cheney in the sweep of criminal's and undesirable's! Maybe he will get them the next sweep!

[bluestardad]

janem4, Thanks never thought of that. Shoot maybe this Ted Taggert or what ever his name is can get him a spot stealing some little old ladies money and they can buy some cocaine and play hide the sausage?

[thgdriver]

Strange, the US Marshals can nab 11,000 in a "week", but can't seem to find "12 million" Illegal alieans that are in my country doing God knows what!

[thgdriver]

Go ahead, be clever, make fun that they missed George and Rich , Let's see how funny you are when a terrorist comes across the Mexican Border, or is already here, and blows up a school full of kids or worse.

So that was the east side of the Mississippi river, does that mean the worst of the worst is on the west side?, the smart thing for the worst is to jump to the east side now, and be safe?.
what happens next?.

you know this is going to hurt!.. look at all the money it cost to catch a fugitive just to get
them off the street, now how much does it cost to
give them a fair trial, then to house them in our
prisons, give them two to three years,and learn a
way to be a better fugitive, then put them back on the street. its a never ending cycle, over and
over.

[bellal-2009]

The children of the world are safer with Alberto Gonzalez in office.

[saraity100]

The law isn't good enough. Stupid judges and juries will let *** offenders go free after a short prison term.