Savannah, GA – Following a four-year tradition
of success in its national efforts, the U.S.
Marshals Service locally conducted another
successful Operation FALCON (Federal and Local Cops
Organized Nationally) from June 9– 14. Led by the
U.S. Marshals Service, Operation FALCON 2008 netted
292 arrests within the Southern District of Georgia.
Operation FALCON combined the collective efforts of
multiple law enforcement agencies in one of the
area’s largest-ever fugitive initiatives, focusing
on capturing individuals wanted on felony charges
including sexual predators and fugitives wanted for
crimes of violence. Over the course of the six-day
operation, Deputy U.S. Marshals, teamed with
federal, state, and local law enforcement partners,
arrested 292 fugitives, including 13 sex offenders,
and cleared 411 warrants in the 43 counties that
make up the Southern District of Georgia.
Marcus Davis was a fugitive wanted by the Waycross
Police Department for Financial Identification Fraud
and 2 counts of Executing Checks with Fictitious
Information. A team of Deputy U.S. Marshals, with
fellow law enforcement officers, arrested Davis June
10 after a brief foot chase following his jump from
a window in his mother’s home. The following day,
his mother, Gilbertine Davis, was arrested for
Hindering the Apprehension of a Criminal for
allegedly assisting her son in his efforts to elude
capture. As she had previously been informed of the
outstanding warrants and advised not to assist or
hide her son, she was also terminated from
employment with a local county.
Rodney Arrington was arrested on June 12 in Augusta
following a lengthy foot chase on Fort Gordon after
he jumped from his vehicle and fled through base
housing complexes. Arrington was wanted by the
Richmond County Sheriff’s Office for Theft by
Taking. Charges for Fleeing and Attempting to Elude
Officers are pending.
Gregory Foreman Jr. was arrested on June 10 in
Brunswick by a FALCON team preparing to enter
another address. Foreman saw the police activity and
fled the area prompting the Falcon team to follow
him. A Georgia State Patrol marked unit pulled him
over 3 blocks from the initial scene and performed a
license check. The drug dog with the team was called
to the vehicle because of the strong odor of
marijuana and alerted on the vehicle. Several bags
of marijuana, $1020 in US currency and a .40 caliber
pistol were found following the search. Foreman
faces several charges from this arrest as well as
three traffic offenses.
“From the outset, Operation FALCON has proved how
much can be accomplished when we combine resources
at the federal, state and local levels,” said John
F. Clark, Director of the U.S. Marshals Service.
“This operation is not possible without the unique
talents and dedication that each participating
agency brings to the table.”
Operation FALCON consisted of approximately 290
federal, state, and local law enforcement officers,
making up 13 separate arrest teams working
throughout the six-day period. Each participating
local officer was sworn in as a Special Deputy U.S.
Marshal immediately prior to the start of this
operation. This special authority empowered them to
cross traditional lines of jurisdiction to track
down and arrest targeted fugitives throughout the
week.
Edmund A. Booth, Jr., the United States Attorney for
the Southern District of Georgia commented on the
success of the fugitive apprehension operation by
noting that the citizens in the Southern District of
Georgia are now much safer. Booth said that “by
removing these fugitives from our streets we help
create a safer environment so that our citizens can
more safely live and work in their communities .”
“The cooperation and enthusiasm of law enforcement
agencies in the Southern District of Georgia has
always been incredible,” said U.S. Marshal Tom
Roberts. “We are facing new challenges in law
enforcement and must always adapt to overcome
sometimes overwhelming odds when faced with the
criminal element that places our communities in
danger. With our law enforcement partners, law
enforcement at all levels is dedicated to a safer
Georgia, nation and world and it shows in this
tremendous success.”
Since its inception in 2005, Operation FALCON has
made over 36,500 arrests and cleared over 45,300
warrants. It continues to be the largest and most
successful fugitive apprehension effort in U.S.
Marshals history.
For more information about Operation FALCON, visit
http://www.usmarshals.gov/falcon08/media.htm
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