Fargo, ND – Deputy U.S. Marshals joined forces with numerous law enforcement agencies within the state and surrounding area last week in carrying out a fugitive apprehension initiative. The sweep resulted in the apprehension of 112 fugitives and cleared 133 outstanding warrants.

Led by the U.S. Marshals Service, Operation FALCON, the acronym for Federal And Local Cops Organized Nationally, targeted violent offenders, gang members and sexual offenders. Of the 112 fugitives arrested, 6 were wanted for sexual offenses.

Among those arrested were two fugitives wanted in Cass County for violating probation. Ellric Giroux, 29, and Tina Haws-Dahl, 27, who are believed to be a couple, were both apprehended based on warrants issued for failing to register as sex offenders – a condition of their respective probation.

Giroux who had been on GPS monitoring, allegedly cut off his ankle bracelet at the Red River Valley Fair earlier in the week. Haws-Dahl, Giroux’s alleged girlfriend, was also wanted for possession of drug paraphernalia. This is not the first time either Giroux or Haws-Dahl have been known to fail to register as sex offenders.

“We are pleased that local law enforcement often looks upon operations such as FALCON as an opportunity to address fugitive apprehension issues in their communities,” said John F. Clark, Director of the U.S. Marshals Service. “In the end, when this operation is over, our local partners are the people who will continue to live and work in the communities that Operation FALCON serves. We are committed to leaving behind a safer community for all of them.”

Operation FALCON was comprised of over 40 federal, state and local law enforcement officers, who partnered together to make up several arrest teams. The agencies participating in the operation included the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, Burleigh County Sheriff’s Office, North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Clay County Sheriff’s Office, United States Probation and Pretrial Services, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, West Fargo Police Department, Fargo Police Department, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Drug Enforcement Administration, North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Moorhead Police Department and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.

Operation FALCON 2008 represents a continuing series of successful national fugitive apprehension missions. This is the fourth consecutive year the U.S. Marshals Service has conducted the FALCON fugitive sweep operation throughout the country. To date over 36,500 fugitives have been captured during previous FALCON operations.

For more information on Operation FALCON and the U.S. Marshals, visit http://www.usmarshals.gov/falcon08/

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