540 FUGITIVES ARRESTED DURING OPERATION FALCON – South Carolina

Greenville, SC – In one of the largest fugitive initiatives ever undertaken in South Carolina, the U.S. Marshals Service teamed with law enforcement agencies throughout the state to arrest 540 fugitives and clear 939 warrants during a recent 16 day sweep. Led by the U.S. Marshals Service, Operation FALCON (Federal and Local Cops Organized Nationally) is an ongoing, multi-city, nationwide law enforcement effort. The operation targets persons wanted for sexual offenses, other violent crimes and narcotics violations. Since its start in July, Operation FALCON 2007 has netted 6,206 arrests and cleared 7,536 warrants in twenty-seven operations. Operation FALCON-South Carolina took place from August 16-31. This is the third consecutive year that the U.S. Marshals Service has conducted the FALCON fugitive sweep operation throughout the country.

Of the 540 fugitives arrested, 66 were wanted for sexual offenses. Among those arrested was alleged sex offender Matthew Cravetts. On August 28, Cravetts, 46, was arrested by Deputy Marshals and Hamilton County (TN) investigators at a residence in Soddy Daisy, TN. Cravetts was the subject of a May 2007 Richland County warrant for Criminal Sexual Conduct with a Minor. Richland County investigators believe that Cravetts engaged in this conduct in December 2005. Additionally, Marcelino Corona Cruz was taken into custody at a residence on Anderson Road in Greenville County on August 29. At that time, Cruz, 29, was the subject of a Greenville County warrant for Criminal Sexual Conduct with a Minor. Since that time, Cruz has also been charged with Trafficking in Forced Labor in Greenville County. Investigators also found out after his apprehension that he was wanted in Hidalgo, Mexico for the rape of a minor.

There were also many arrests of other violent fugitives as well. Deputy Marshals and task force officers in Greenville located and arrested four alleged gang members for their involvement in a December 2005 shooting. Stedman Makins, Bennett Randolph, Gregg Thompson and Sergio Jones were all the subject of Greenville City warrants alleging their involvement in the shooting of an employee of the club Matrix. The four are believed to be members of a loosely organized neighborhood gang, “KP Unit”, from an area known as Kennedy Park. Makins, Bennett and Thompson all face seven charges including Assault and Battery with Intent to Kill, Lynching and Possession of a Weapon during a Violent Crime. Jones has been charged with Conspiracy to Commit a Felony and Lynching, Second Degree.

Operation FALCON was busy in the Florence and Charleston areas as well. In our Charleston division, Deputy Marshals and task force agents arrested Jermaine Jerry Aiken in Walterboro on August 17. Aiken, 24, was the subject of a Colleton County warrant for Armed Robbery. Aiken is alleged to have robbed his victim at gunpoint in the early morning hours of August 2006. On August 18, FALCON members in our Florence division located and apprehended a seventeen year old juvenile wanted for murder by the Glynn County (GA) Police Department. The juvenile was arrested without incident after providing a false name to arresting officers.

“In the past two years, Operation FALCON has been extremely successful in apprehending the worst criminals in South Carolina. So far, in three FALCON operations we have been able to apprehend 1,060 felons and have cleared 1,851 warrants, “said Johnny Mack Brown, U.S. Marshal for the District of South Carolina. “One of the reasons FALCON has been so successful here in South Carolina is the existence of our fugitive task force, Operation Intercept. Through Operation Intercept, Deputy Marshals work very closely with other federal, state and local investigators on a daily basis to ensure that those who would run from the law face the bar of justice.” said Marshal Brown.

Operation FALCON – South Carolina was comprised of dozens of law enforcement agents from 54 contributing agencies from across South Carolina. Those agencies represent law enforcement at the federal, state and local levels of government. Please see the attachment titled participating agencies for a complete listing of FALCON partners.

The U.S. Marshals Service also coordinates the Operation Intercept Fugitive Task Force, a multi-agency task force that targets persons wanted for violent crimes, narcotic offenses, and sexual offenders in South Carolina. Full time contributing agencies are the Federal Bureau of Investigation, State Law Enforcement Division, South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services, Columbia Police Department, Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, Greenville Police Department, Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, Darlington Police Department, Darlington County Sheriff’s Office, Florence County Sheriff’s Office, Charleston Police Department and the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office.

Since its inception in 2005, Operation FALCON has made over 36,000 arrests and cleared over 40,000 warrants. It continues to be the largest and most successful fugitive apprehension effort in U.S. Marshals history.

For more information about the U.S. Marshals Service, visit http://www.usmarshals.gov/district/la-m/index.html.

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