Buffalo, NY – U.S. Marshal Peter A. Lawrence, in conjunction with the U.S. Attorney Terrance Flynn, announces the results of a week-long fugitive warrant initiative that combined federal, state, and local law enforcement officers to hunt down and capture dangerous fugitives in the Western part of the District. This operation is a combination of a federal task force called Operation FALCON 2008 (Federal and Local Cops Organized Nationally), and a New York State Task Force called Rolling Thunder III. The operation began Monday and concludes today.

“While Operation FALCON has been referred to as a dragnet, or a sweep, we target very specific types of criminals when we conduct these operations,” said John F. Clark, Director of the U.S. Marshals Service. “The emphasis of Operation FALCON has been, and continues to, be violent fugitives, gang-related crimes, crimes against children and sex offenses. Since Operation FALCON began in 2005, it has directly resulted in the arrest of nearly 1,000 gang members and more than 3,800 sex offenders. FALCON has been hitting its mark.”

The operation led by the U.S. Marshals, netted 148 fugitives, including 17 sex offenders, and cleared over 174 outstanding warrants. Some of the more significant arrests include:

Benjamin Jubert, 21, arrested on a Failure to Register as a Sex Offender with Buffalo Police. During the arrest, officers seized 17 marijuana plants and ½ gram of cocaine. As a result, three other subjects, Christopher Falk, 19, Zackary Beenall, 19, and Ted Cook, 26, were arrested on Criminal Possession of Marijuana and Public Health Law and one was also charged with Criminal Possession of Controlled Substance.

Three subjects were arrested when a search warrant was executed at 1 Alma in Buffalo for Possession of Counterfeit goods. Nike sneakers over $100,00 in value, a stolen .357 Ruger handgun, and $40,000 in cash were seized.

All three were charged with Trademark Counterfeiting and one was also charged with Criminal Possession of Stolen Property and Criminal Possession of a Weapon. The three arrested were: Adel A. Abdulmajid, 25, and Abdullah A. Hassan, 54, both from Buffalo and Hussein Ali, 18, from Lackawanna.

Monserrate Rivera, 23, was arrested on a Gang Assault and Criminal Mischief with intent to Damage Property warrant. The warrant was the result of Rivera along with two other subjects who allegedly assaulted a female victim by striking her in the head several times causing physical injury.

“This year we combined Operation Falcon with Rolling Thunder to pool all federal, state and local resources together in a more efficient manner”, said U.S. Marshal Peter A. Lawrence. “Together I am confident we have made the streets and our communities a much safer place.”

Operation Falcon 2008, and Rolling Thunder III, led by the U.S. Marshals Service, consisted of law enforcement officers from the FBI, New York State Police, Erie County Sheriff’s Department, Buffalo Police Department, New York State Parole, New York State Intelligence Center, Erie County Probation, Cheektowaga Police, Chautauqua County Sheriff’s, Chautauqua County Probation, Jamestown Police, Dunkirk Police, Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s, Cattaraugus County Probation, Niagara County Sheriff’s, Niagara County Probation, and the Niagara Falls Police Departments.

For more information about Operation FALCON, visit www.usmarshals.gov/falcon08/media.htm.
 

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