Operation Falcon (Federal Dragnet)
Encyclopedia
Operation FALCON is the name of several week-long dragnets
organized by the United States Marshals Service
. FALCON I occurred between April 4 and April 10, 2005 (also Crime Victims' Rights Week
), FALCON II during the week of April 17-23, 2006, and FALCON III from October 22-28, 2006.
During FALCON I, a total of 10,340 federal fugitives were arrested in all 50 U.S. state
s as well as Puerto Rico
and Guam
by some 3,000 to 10,000 law enforcement officers from such agencies as the ATF, the FBI, the Secret Service
, and the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development
.
FALCON netted the largest number of arrests ever recorded during a single operation. This included the arrests of 162 accused or convicted of murder
, 638 wanted for armed robbery, 553 wanted for rape or sexual assault, 154 gang members, and 106 unregistered sex offenders. The greatest category of arrests (4,291) was for narcotics violations. Other large classes of wanted fugitives arrested included 1818 burglary
suspects and 1727 assault
suspects. In addition to the arrests, 243 weapons, 30 kg of cocaine
, 19 kg of heroin, 204 kg of marijuana
and $373,000 in cash was seized by Operation FALCON teams.
Although the Marshals Service provided coordination for the sweep, most of the manpower for the arrests came from local law enforcement: 206 state law enforcement agencies, 302 county sheriffs' departments, and 366 city police departments were involved, as well as 25 federal agencies and all 83 districts of the U.S. Marshals Service, which allocated about $900,000 to the operation.
Dragnet (policing)
A dragnet is any system of coordinated measures for apprehending criminals or suspects; including road barricades and traffic stops, widespread DNA tests, and general increased police alertness. The term derives from a fishing technique of dragging a fishing net across the sea bottom, or through a...
organized by the United States Marshals Service
United States Marshals Service
The United States Marshals Service is a United States federal law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice . The office of U.S. Marshal is the oldest federal law enforcement office in the United States; it was created by the Judiciary Act of 1789...
. FALCON I occurred between April 4 and April 10, 2005 (also Crime Victims' Rights Week
Crime Victims' Rights Week
Crime Victims' Rights Week is an annual commemoration in the United States that promotes victims' rights and services. The week is marked by an award ceremony held in Washington, D.C., in which individuals and organizations that demonstrate outstanding service in supporting victims and victim...
), FALCON II during the week of April 17-23, 2006, and FALCON III from October 22-28, 2006.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
s as well as Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
and Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
by some 3,000 to 10,000 law enforcement officers from such agencies as the ATF, the FBI, the Secret Service
United States Secret Service
The United States Secret Service is a United States federal law enforcement agency that is part of the United States Department of Homeland Security. The sworn members are divided among the Special Agents and the Uniformed Division. Until March 1, 2003, the Service was part of the United States...
, and the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development
United States Department of Housing and Urban Development
The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, also known as HUD, is a Cabinet department in the Executive branch of the United States federal government...
.
FALCON netted the largest number of arrests ever recorded during a single operation. This included the arrests of 162 accused or convicted of murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
, 638 wanted for armed robbery, 553 wanted for rape or sexual assault, 154 gang members, and 106 unregistered sex offenders. The greatest category of arrests (4,291) was for narcotics violations. Other large classes of wanted fugitives arrested included 1818 burglary
Burglary
Burglary is a crime, the essence of which is illicit entry into a building for the purposes of committing an offense. Usually that offense will be theft, but most jurisdictions specify others which fall within the ambit of burglary...
suspects and 1727 assault
Assault
In law, assault is a crime causing a victim to fear violence. The term is often confused with battery, which involves physical contact. The specific meaning of assault varies between countries, but can refer to an act that causes another to apprehend immediate and personal violence, or in the more...
suspects. In addition to the arrests, 243 weapons, 30 kg of cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
, 19 kg of heroin, 204 kg of marijuana
Cannabis (drug)
Cannabis, also known as marijuana among many other names, refers to any number of preparations of the Cannabis plant intended for use as a psychoactive drug or for medicinal purposes. The English term marijuana comes from the Mexican Spanish word marihuana...
and $373,000 in cash was seized by Operation FALCON teams.
Although the Marshals Service provided coordination for the sweep, most of the manpower for the arrests came from local law enforcement: 206 state law enforcement agencies, 302 county sheriffs' departments, and 366 city police departments were involved, as well as 25 federal agencies and all 83 districts of the U.S. Marshals Service, which allocated about $900,000 to the operation.