Nearly 200 local, state and federal law enforcement officers joined forces this week in Cumberland County for Operation Spring Sweep, an enforcement operation that served outstanding criminal warrants, searched for probation absconders and conducted compliance checks on high risk and violent offenders on probation or parole.
Significant arrests and accomplishments included:
• Arrest of a suspect wanted in Florida for the murder of a two-year-old girl
• Arrest of a sex offender on post-release supervision, in possession of multiple firearms and drugs
• 51 individuals arrested
• 95 charges cleared
• 16 illegally possessed firearms seized
• 74 high-risk probation/parole searches attempted – 52 searches completed
• Seizures of marijuana, cocaine and methamphetamine
• Seizure of more than $10,000 in cash
• Seven firearms cases to be prosecuted in Federal courts
Participating agencies included:
U.S. Marshals Service
North Carolina Department of Public Safety – Adult Correction
Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office
Fayetteville Police Department
Hope Mills Police Department
Spring Lake Police Department
North Carolina State Highway Patrol
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
U.S. Attorney’s Office for Eastern District NC
Cumberland County District Attorney’s Office
NC Information Sharing and Analysis Center (NC ISAAC)
“U.S. Marshals and our local and state law enforcement partners will utilize all resources available to seek out individuals attempting to avoid prosecution and we will work tirelessly to ensure that the victims of these crimes will not fall prey to these violent offenders again,” said Scott J. Parker, U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of North Carolina. “Operation Spring Sweep demonstrated the partnership and dedication of the men and women of the U.S. Marshals and our law enforcement partners throughout Eastern North Carolina. The safety of the citizens and children residing in our communities will always remain a top priority of the U.S. Marshals.”
“Keeping our communities safe requires the collaboration of local, state and federal law enforcement agencies,” said NC Public Safety Secretary Erik A. Hooks. “No agency can do it alone. This operation is a prime example of that cooperation and we are grateful for the daily support of all our partners.”
“It’s always good when law enforcement from local, state and federal agencies can come together to achieve a common goal to protect the citizens of Cumberland County by taking criminals, weapons and drugs off our streets,” said Cumberland County Sheriff Ennis Wright.
"The Cumberland County District Attorney's Office is proud to participate with our many law enforcement partners in Operation Spring Sweep,” said District Attorney Billy West. “This search and warrant enforcement initiative has been successful in removing illegal narcotics, illegal firearms, and violent criminals from our community. We look forward to continuing to work with our law enforcement partners to successfully prosecute the cases arising from Operation Spring Sweep.”
“We want to thank the U.S. Marshals Service for bringing this campaign to our community and for including the Hope Mills Police Department in the effort to remove dangerous fugitives from our streets,” said Hope Mills Police Chief Joel Acciardo.
“Removing violent offenders from our community is important and we are thankful that the U.S. Marshals Service has taken the lead and partnered with local agencies to lead this effort,” said Spring Lake Police Chief Charles Kimble. “Our communities are thankful for the dedication of our local law enforcement coming together to keep us safe and bring the most violent in our communities to justice.”
“Our goal is to keep communities safe by removing violent and career criminals,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge C.J. Hyman. “This successful operation will have a long-term impact on violent crime in the Fayetteville area and surrounding counties. ATF will continue to work these type of joint operations with our law enforcement partners.”