Hundreds of Arizona fugitives arrested in multi-agency operation

PHOENIX — Law enforcement officers from federal, state and local agencies in Arizona arrested 203 fugitives last week.

The operation — termed Operation Justice 2016 — targeted the most violent fugitives and gang members wanted for crimes ranging from robbery and assault to rape and drug offenses.

U.S. Marshal for the District of Arizona David Gonzales said the purpose of the multi-agency arrests is two-fold: To reduce the number of future victims of crime and to give justice to those who are victims.

“Those 203 fugitive arrests will keep these predators off the streets so we don’t have more victims,” he said.

“When we interview fugitives, we ask them, ‘While you were on the lam, what did you do for money? How did you survive?’ And they all say they committed burglaries, they broke into vehicles, they sold drugs, they did armed robberies. It goes on and on and on.”

Twenty-nine law enforcement agencies from Maricopa and Pinal Counties participated in the fugitive round-up.

“We are here to assure everybody that federal, state, and local law enforcement is unified, working together, sharing resources and talent, to make our streets safer,” Gonzales said.

Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery said law enforcement agencies work across jurisdictional boundaries at the federal, state and local levels in carrying out a shared mission of seeing to public safety. He said the operation sends a message to those would harm fellow citizens.

“You can run for a while, but you cannot hide, and law enforcement in Maricopa County, Pinal County and throughout all of Arizona is going to work in partnership to bring you into custody,” he said.

This fugitive sweep was part of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, which runs through April 16.

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