'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.”

Operation 'Make It Rain' Keeps Grainger County Sex Offenders in Compliance

Knoxville, TN - From January 27 to January 28, U.S. Marshals from the Eastern District of Tennessee, along with Smoky Mountains Fugitive Task Force officers from the Knoxville Police Department, The Knox County Sheriff’s Office, and the Sevier County Sheriff’s Office, assisted the Grainger County Sheriff’s Office in conducting its 2016 sex offender compliance operation. Dubbed “Operation Make It Rain,” officers conducted a county-wide compliance and enforcement initiative to ensure sex offenders were following the guidelines of the sex offender registry. Throughout the two-day operation, officers conducted almost 41 sex offender compliance checks that resulted in the following:

•     Five sex offenders were arrested or detained for further investigation. The individuals were arrested for sex offender registry violations and probation violations.
•     Drug Paraphernalia was also confiscated.
•     Several electronic devices were seized for further forensic examination.

"Operations like Operation ‘Make It Rain’ help us protect our communities and ensure their safety. The Grainger County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Marshals Service and everyone involved worked diligently to check the sex offenders registered in Grainger County. Our goal is to make sure that to ensure that each and every one of them is following the rules,” stated Grainger County Sheriff James Harville “Sex offenders who come to our county should not come thinking that they can circumvent the law and endanger our children and our citizens" he added.

“The main benefits of operations like this one are three-fold: we ensure the law is being followed; we identify when it is not and protect the citizens of Grainger County from sexual predators who are trying to circumvent the sex offender registry requirements; and we strengthen the ties between all law enforcement agencies involved by closely working together towards a common goal”, stated U.S. Marshals Senior Inspector Derrick Swenson.

The U.S. Marshals Service has three key missions under the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006: (1) to assist state, local, tribal and territorial authorities in the location and apprehension of noncompliant sex offenders; (2) to investigate violations of the criminal provisions of the Adam Walsh Act; and (3) to identify and locate displaced sex offenders resulting from a major disaster. Since January 2009, the Marshals have partnered with law enforcement personnel from more than 3,000 state and local agencies to coordinate and execute sex offender compliance/enforcement operations throughout the country.

New Mexico’s Most Wanted Adds a New Violent Offender

Albuquerque, NM - The United States Marshals Service, working with detectives from the Albuquerque Police Department Homicide and Gang Units, the U.S. Marshals South West Investigative Fugitive Team (SWIFT) Task Force, has added Darrius Valles to its New Mexico’s Most Wanted list. Valles is wanted on an open count of Murder related to a homicide that occurred on January 16, 2015.

It is alleged that Valles shot and killed an innocent victim in broad daylight in the middle of a busy apartment complex with young children present. Valles is believed to have fled with the firearm in his possession. Investigators with SWIFT received information that Valles has possibly travelled El Paso, Texas, but has strong ties in the Albuquerque Metro Area including Bernalillo. Valles is believed to be armed and dangerous and is also believed to be a gang member. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to contact the United States Marshals Service in NM at (505) 346-6400 or their local law enforcement agency.

If you receive any information regarding the above named individual,

please contact the United States Marshals Service for the District of New Mexico.

(505) 346-6400/Albuquerque or (575) 527-6850/Las Cruces