Tyler, TX – The U.S. Marshals Joint East Texas Fugitive Task
Force (JETFTF) brought 813 felony fugitives to justice during 2020,
bringing the arrest total to 20,305 since its inception back in 2004.
These arrests resulted in 1,204 felony warrants being cleared in 2020,
adding to the total of 26,774 warrants closed since the JETFTF was
formed. Many of the fugitives the JETFTF apprehends are wanted on more
than one state and/or federal arrest warrant.
Included in the
2020 arrests are 47 homicide warrants, 70 armed or aggravated robberies,
182 sex crimes, 383 narcotics, and 4 kidnappings that JETFTF spearheaded
investigative efforts on. While serving these warrants, JETFTF members
seized 66 illegally possessed firearms, over $600,000.00 and 459kg of
various illegal narcotics. Sex offender investigators assigned to the
JETFTF also contributed to local agencies involved in recovering six
missing children in 2020.
In keeping with the critical
partnerships formed with local law enforcement agencies, the JETFTF has
assisted in organizing sex offender compliance checks in counties and
cities throughout East Texas. These compliance checks help local
agencies ensure that registered sex offenders residing within their
respective jurisdictions are following all applicable state laws
governing sex offender registration requirements. The members of the
JETFTF provide valuable expertise in organizing these operations and a
tremendous amount of manpower, acting as a force-multiplier for agencies
that are often tasked with several other missions.
Despite all
the challenges faced in 2020, the JETFTF stood ready to assist local
agencies in keeping our local communities safe from violent crime. “The
success of the JETFTF is a testament to the commitment among state,
local, and federal agencies in keeping violent criminals off the streets
in our communities”, said John Garrison, the U.S. Marshal for the
Eastern District of Texas. “The JETFTF and our partner agencies will not
allow violent criminals to use East Texas as a safe haven”.
The
Joint East Texas Fugitive Task Force is comprised of investigators from
the following agencies:
Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, Beaumont
Police Department, Bowie County District Attorney’s Office, Carrollton
Police Department, Center Police Department, Cherokee County Sheriff’s
Office, Collin County District attorney’s office, Collin County
Sheriff’s Office, Denton County Sheriff’s Office, Denton Police
Department, Flower Mound Police Department, Grayson County District
attorney’s Office, Hardin County Sheriff’s Office, Harrison County Fire
Marshal office, Henderson County Sheriff’s Office, Henderson Police
Department, Houston County Sheriff’s Office, Jasper County Sheriff’s
Office, Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office, Jefferson County
Sheriff’s Office, Lamar County District Attorney’s Office, Liberty
County Sheriff’s Office, Longview Police Department, Lufkin Police
Department, Marshall Police Department, Mount Pleasant Police
Department, Nacogdoches County Sheriff’s Office, Orange county Sheriff’s
Office, Palestine Police Department, Panola County Sheriff’s Office,
Pittsburg Police Department, Plano Police Department, Port Arthur Police
Department, Rusk County Sheriff’s Office, San Augustine County
Constable’s Office, San Augustine County Sheriff’s Office, Silsbee
Police Department, Smith County Adult Probation Office, Smith County
Sheriff’s Office, Texas Attorney General’s Office, Texas Department of
Criminal Justice – Office of the Inspector General, Texas Department of
Public Safety, Trinity County District Attorney’s Office, Tyler Police
Department, Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office, Winnsboro Police
Department.
Additional information about the U.S. Marshals Service can be found
at http://www.usmarshals.gov.
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America’s
First Federal Law Enforcement Agency