'Operation Violence Reduction' Takes Down its First 'Worst of the Worst' Fugitive

Albuquerque, NM - The United States Marshals Service in New Mexico, along with Task Force Officers assigned to the Marshals Service South West Investigative Fugitive Team (SWIFT) Task Force, arrested Angelo Eddie Aragon as part of a 12 month violence reduction operation, which will focus on arresting fugitives who are wanted for homicide, robbery, and failure to register as a sex offender. Aragon was arrested for armed robbery, trafficking a controlled substance, possession of a firearm or destructive device by a felon, child abuse, and aggravated fleeing from an officer.

Aragon was arrested by U.S. Marshal Deputies and Task Force Officers assigned to the SWIFT task force on Tuesday January 27, 2016 and was booked at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Albuquerque, NM. Aragon’s warrants emerged from several armed robberies of pharmacies in Albuquerque and the surrounding areas. These robberies were committed by Aragon and coconspirators; who have since then been arrested on similar charges.

The 12 month operation in NM will prioritize apprehension efforts to support the United States Attorney’s Office “Worst of the Worst” initiative where the U.S. Attorney’s Office and federal law enforcement agencies work with New Mexico District Attorneys, state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to target violent or repeat offenders for federal prosecution with the goal of removing repeat offenders from communities in New Mexico.

In this operation “Operation Violence Reduction” Angelo Eddie Aragon will be one of the first apprehended to face federal charges in support of the Worst of the Worst” initiative, because of his lengthy history of possession of a controlled substance, armed robbery, bank robbery and now facing armed robbery, trafficking a controlled substance, possession of a firearm or destructive device by a felon, child abuse, and aggravated fleeing from an officer.

United States Marshal for the District of New Mexico Conrad E. Candelaria was cited as saying, “There is not a more worthy cause than to make sure criminals charged with “ homicides, violent crimes and sex offenses are found and brought to justice. Our children and our communities are at risk when violent criminals are unaccounted for.”