Related article: P1 Exclusive: Operation FALCON: Getting results
By Carlos Mayorga
The Salt Lake Tribune
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — A five-day blitz by 35 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies last week resulted in the arrests of 161 fugitives in Utah wanted on such felonies as violent crimes, sex offenses and narcotics crimes.
Several teams in Utah participating in Operation FALCON (Federal and Local Cops Organized Nationally) were able to find and arrest individuals wanted on outstanding warrants. One of the arrests was a juvenile wanted in a violent homicide last week in Arizona who had fled to Salt Lake City.
In addition to the arrests, authorities involved in the JCAT (Joint Criminal Apprehension Team) confiscated substantial amounts of methamphetamine, marijuana, crack cocaine, two handguns and a shotgun.
The coordinated effort took place from June 16-20, but Operation FALCON has been carried out annually since 2005. To date, JCAT teams have made more than 36,500 arrests and cleared more than 45,300 warrants nationwide.
Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal James Thompson said that the operation allows the agencies involved to pool resources.
“It all kind of comes together. Everybody’s got a little piece of the puzzle,” Thompson said. “You have to be able to count on your partner to cover his area of responsibility. It’s a unique trust.”
Thursday evening, Deputy U.S. Marshal Jesse Belanger was part of a six-man team that arrested half a dozen fugitives, including James Robert Day at a home in Salt Lake City. Day was wanted on a warrant for felony possession of a dangerous drug and was booked into Salt Lake County jail. “It was really well-organized,” Belanger said. “Nobody was hurt and we had no major incidents. Everything was done perfectly and we got some bad people off the street.”
Copyright 2008 The Salt Lake Tribune