CHICAGO – 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 22– 28. Led by the U.S.
Marshals, Operation FALCON-Chicago netted 319
physical arrests while closing an additional 59
warrants within the Chicagoland area.
Operation FALCON-Chicago 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 seven-day operation, investigators from the U.S.
Marshals, teamed with federal, state, and local law
enforcement partners to arrest wanted felons for
charges ranging from homicide, parental abduction,
sexual assault, etc.
Carlos
Hensley was a fugitive wanted by the Chicago Police
Department in connection with the May murder of
Kiana Green. At the time of the murder, Green was
seven-months pregnant. Investigators working the
Falcon operation apprehended Hensley within hours of
receiving the warrant. Hensley is currently being
held at Cook County Jail where he awaits further
proceedings.
“Operation Falcon-Chicago is a microcosm of the
success attained by U.S. Marshals and our Great
Lakes Task Force partners,” said Chief Inspector
Geoff Shank, U.S. Marshals Great Lakes Regional
Fugitive Task Force. “We have worked hand-in-hand
for five years arresting over 28,000 fugitives in
the Great Lakes area – that is 28,000 felons behind
bars who are no longer roaming our streets preying
on our citizens.”
Operation Falcon-Chicago consisted of over 100
federal, state, and local law enforcement officers,
making up eight separate arrest teams working
throughout the seven-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. On average, Operation Falcon-Chicago teams
arrested more than 50 wanted fugitives per day.
Apprehension efforts such as Operation Falcon are an
important weapon in the law enforcement arsenal to
once again exemplify to the public that when law
enforcement agencies band together in an effort to
make our society a safer place to live – we can
produce tremendous results,” said U.S. Marshal Kim
Widup, Northern District of Illinois. “We hope
Operation Falcon-Chicago sends a message to the
predators of our society that they have now become
the prey of the best man hunters in the
fugitive-hunting business.”
Since
its inception in 2003, the U.S. Marshals Great Lakes
Regional Fugitive Task Force has been apprehending
countless fugitives from in and around the
Chicagoland area. To date, the task force’s success
can be measured by its 28,000 fugitive arrests. Over
a five-year period, the task force averages over 15
arrests per day of violent offenders in the Great
Lakes area. During Falcon, the task force averaged
over 45 arrests per day.
“Operation Falcon is a significant law enforcement
accomplishment because it brings so many different
police agencies together to form one team with one
focus, “said Sheriff Thomas J. Dart, Cook County
Sheriff’s Department. “That tenacity has ultimately
led us to bring hundreds of wanted fugitives to
justice and into custody.”
Agencies participating along with the U.S. Marshals
Service during Operation FALCON-Chicago include the
Cook County Sheriff’s Department, Illinois Attorney
General’s Office, Chicago Police Department,
Illinois Department of Corrections, Illinois State
Police, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture-OIG, U.S. Dept. of
Housing and Urban Development, U.S. Dept. of
Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Dupage County
Sheriff’s Department, McHenry County Sheriff’s
Department, Berwyn Police Department, Lyons Police
Department, Stickney Police Department, North
Riverside Police Department, Riverside Police
Department, Forrest Park Police Department, Oak Park
Police Department.
Since
its inception in 2005, Operation Falcon 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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