Fugitive roundup nets hundreds

A multi-agency roundup of suspected sex offenders and other violent criminals has netted hundreds of fugitives in Washington and Idaho in a single week.

The city of Spokane and Kootenai and Bonner counties were part of the sweep, which pulled in more than 9,000 fugitives in 27 states and two territories.

“We focused on the bad guys, and we were successful enough to get a bunch of ‘em,” said Patrick E. McDonald, U.S. marshal for Idaho. “We think that we’ve contributed to a tremendous improvement in public safety in this country.”

The roundup was called Operation FALCON II, or Federal And Local Cops Organized Nationally. It coincided with the start of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, like its predecessor, Operation FALCON, a year ago.

The first FALCON sweep was nationwide and nabbed 10,000 fugitives. This year’s effort saw nearly as many arrests, even though it was limited to states west of the Mississippi. This year’s sweep focused on sex offenders, who accounted for 1,102 of the arrests.

A year ago in North Idaho, a fugitive sex offender allegedly killed, kidnapped and assaulted members of the Groene family, drawing attention to the issue for residents in the region.

“The last two or three years particularly, there’s been a real emphasis on sex offenders because there are a lot of ‘em out there,” McDonald said. “We wanted to focus in an area where there are a lot of innocent victims … with the idea in mind that we were able to make a dent in this.”

In Eastern Washington, 190 fugitives were arrested from April 17 to April 23, including 81 in the Spokane area. Those arrested included nine unregistered sex offenders and nine others suspected of sex crimes.

In Idaho, 74 fugitives were arrested. Seven of those were suspected of violent sex crimes, including rape and lewd acts with a minor, and five were wanted for failing to register as sex offenders.

In Eastern Washington, the effort concentrated on Spokane, Richland and Yakima.

In addition to the suspected sex offenders, officials said arrests included 26 documented gang members, 27 people suspected of violent crimes and two people wanted on homicide warrants. The sweep cleared 96 narcotics cases and resulted in the seizure of 16 guns.

Arrests in Idaho included 20 people suspected of assault; 10 of burglary; 24 of drug offenses; three of fraud, and five of other offenses including injury to a child and harboring a fugitive.

Twelve arrests were made by the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office and five by the Bonner County Sheriff’s Department.

“I applaud the achievements of every deputy marshal, police officer, detective, trooper, investigator, deputy sheriff, and special agent who hit the street virtually around the clock for seven days,” said Robert J. Finan II, the U.S. Marshals Service’s assistant director for investigative services.

Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich said he’s increasing his focus on oversight of sex offenders.

“By the next time we are able to do this, I hope to be more able to help round up sex offenders, since we will have an extra detective in place monitoring sex offenders,” he said.

Many of those arrested were wanted on suspicion of multiple offenses in multiple jurisdictions. One sex offender living near Boise who had not only failed to register at his new address, but was renting a room from a family with a young daughter and had been giving neighborhood kids rides to school. Another had a rap sheet so long that when McDonald retrieved the printout and unfolded it, it measured 21 feet.

McDonald said National Crime Victim Rights Week, April 23 to April 29, is “probably as good a time as there is to conduct something like this.”