Spokane - Joseph H. Harrington, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced today that the United States Marshals Service coordinated a federal, state and local law enforcement operation, called “Operation Hopscotch," that resulted in the arrests of sixty-two violent offenders in Grant, Chelan and Douglas Counties over the course of ten days. The Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Border Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, Grant County Sheriff’s Office, Chelan County Sheriff’s Office, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Moses Lake Police Department, Wenatchee Police Department and East Wenatchee Police Department partnered in Operation Hopscotch to locate and arrest sex offenders and other violent offenders with outstanding active arrest warrants. Operation Hopscotch also led to the apprehension of fugitives based on arrest warrants issued from California and Idaho, as well as the arrests of offenders located in Arizona and Texas. During the operation, law enforcement officers seized approximately 180 grams of methamphetamine and $2,000 in counterfeit U.S. currency.
Craig Thayer, United States Marshal for the Eastern District of Washington, said, “The United States Marshals Service is very appreciative of the partnerships we have with the city, county, state, and other federal law enforcement agencies that worked diligently to make this warrant operation a tremendous success. “Sixty -Two" violent offenders with active warrants were arrested and taken to jail. Our communities are safer as a result of these cooperative efforts that help to hold these violent offenders accountable to the justice system."
Harrington stated, “On behalf of the citizens of the Eastern District of Washington: Well Done!"
The U.S. Marshals Service led-Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force (“PNVOTF") is comprised of federal, state, and local law enforcement officers from Washington, Oregon, and Alaska. The PNVOTF in Eastern Washington is comprised of full-time members from the Yakima County Sheriff’s Office, Benton County Sheriff’s Office, Kennewick Police Department, Washington State Department of Corrections, and U.S. Border Patrol with part-time officers from agencies throughout the district. The mission of the PNVOTF is to locate, arrest and bring to justice the most egregious federal, state, and local violent offenders.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
