Sex Offenders Can No Longer Hide In “The Shadows”

Greenville, SC – On February 25, the U.S. Marshals Service concluded a month long operation in the upstate targeting sex offenders.  Operation Shadow was a U.S. Marshals sponsored fugitive initiative to apprehend fugitives wanted for Sexually Based Offenses.  Operation Shadow utilized the expertise of the U.S. Marshals specially trained Sex Offender Investigators who aided state and local agencies in locating and apprehending these wanted individuals.

During the month long event, 27 fugitives were arrested clearing a total of 38 warrants. Charges included Failure to Register as a Sex Offender, Criminal Sexual Conduct with a Minor, Probation Violations where the underlying offense was a sex crime, Criminal Sexual Conduct with a Minor and Lewd Act on a Minor, and Filing a False Police Report and the false reports were based on criminal sexual offenses. Two fugitives were also apprehended in western North Carolina for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender and potentially face federal Adam Walsh Act prosecution for leaving the state without properly notifying South Carolina prior to their departure. 

Kelvin Washington, U.S. Marshal for the District of South Carolina, stated: “Protecting our communities and children from these fugitives is of immense importance.  These fugitives have been charged with serious and dangerous crimes.  We greatly appreciate the assistance of the Sheriff’s Offices in Anderson, Pickens, Greenville and Spartanburg Counties, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), and the Greenville Police Department that made this a successful operation. Our law enforcement partners assisted our Deputy Marshals in arresting these fugitives and made our streets and communities a safer place.  We are committed to protecting the citizens of this great state and look forward to similar operations in the future."

Established in 1789, the United States Marshals Service is the nation’s oldest federal law enforcement agency. In fiscal 2010, the Marshals arrested more than 36,100 federal fugitives, clearing 39,400 felony warrants and arrested 11,072 sex offenders.  Marshal’s Service-led task forces like South Carolina’s Operation Intercept arrested 81,900 state and local fugitives, clearing 108,200 felony warrants. Locally, Operation Intercept arrested over 2,500 South Carolina fugitives during that same period.