1,102 Sex Offender Arrests by U.S. Marshals' ''Operation FALCON II'' Announced by Attorney General.

WASHINGTON -- Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales and U.S. Marshals Service Director John F. Clark announced that a seven-day fugitive roundup conducted by Deputy Marshals and hundreds of partners from state, local and other federal agencies resulted in the arrests of 9,037 individuals. Among those arrested during Operation FALCON II were 1,102 violent sexual offenders, the largest number captured in a single law enforcement effort. Operation FALCON II was conducted from April 17 through 23. E[acute accent]FALCON II (Federal and Local Cops Organized Nationally) was conducted in 27 states mostly west of the Mississippi River, and the territories of Guam and Northern Mariana Islands. High-priority targets for arrest were fugitives wanted for committing sexual offenses and crimes of violence against women, children and the elderly, as well as unregistered convicted sex offenders. Convicted sex offenders often move from the locations where they committed the crimes without notifying local law enforcement of their whereabouts as required by law. Other priority targets were fugitive gang members and violent offenders wanted for homicide, kidnapping, robbery, burglary, carjacking, weapons offenses, and major narcotics distribution. E[acute accent]William Wisham is a textbook case of what can go wrong when a community is unaware a convicted sexual predator is in its midst. His career of Crimes Against Children and Lewd and Lascivious Acts stretches back to 1979. Recently, he failed to register as a sex offender when he moved to a motel in Victorville, California. On April 21, investigators assigned to Operation FALCON encountered Wisham at the motel during the unrelated arrest of two individuals wanted for Child Endangerment. The investigators learned Wisham violated his requirement to register as a sex offender. Furthermore, he possessed letters to children, notes explaining why he enjoys sex with children, child pornography, candy and methamphetamine. E[acute accent]Operation FALCON II coincided with the Department of Justice's National Crime Victims' Rights Week. "We honor these victims and we make our communities safer every time a violent sexual predator is taken off the streets to face justice," said Attorney General Gonzales. E[acute accent]"During each day of FALCON II we put more than 2,100 law enforcement officers on the street to arrest individuals like Wisham," said Director Clark. "The only way to achieve huge arrest statistics like these is with the full and enthusiastic cooperation of agencies at every level of government. We worked together as partners. This approach creates a force multiplier effect." The Marshals coordinated officers from 120 state agencies, 330 county agencies, 312 police departments, 6 foreign law enforcement agencies, and 24 other federal agencies. "I'm deeply grateful for their efforts," said Director Clark.

E[acute accent]PHOTOS AVAILABLE

E[acute accent]Photos of actual arrests during the Operation are available to press at www.usmarshals.gov/falcon2, as well as factsheets on arrests nationwide and in each of the participating districts.