Posted at 1:57 p.m., Thursday, April 27, 2006
National crime sweep nets 249 fugitives in Hawaii
Advertiser Staff
More than 249 fugitives were arrested in Hawai'i as part of "Operation Falcon II," a nationwide crime sweep orchestrated by federal and local law agencies.The operation took place April 17 to April 23 and was led by the U.S. Marshals Service, which worked with local law enforcement officers around the nation to apprehend more than 9,000 "violent fugitives," a U.S. Marshals' new release said.
Several hundred federal, state and local law enforcement partners in 27 states, mostly west of the Mississippi, and the territories in Guam and North Mariana Islands took part.
Of the 249 fugitives arrested in Hawai'i, six were violent sexual offenders, Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal Michael Fersti said.
Two other individuals were arrested in connection with negligent homicide charges, 56 had narcotics charges, 29 were for burglary and larceny and other crimes, Fersti said.
Two fugitives arrested in Hawai'i during the operation were Kelepi Mafi and Herbert Damwijk, both wanted in connection with sexual assault on juveniles.
According to the U.S. Marshals, Mafi was wanted in Maui 2nd Circuit Court for two counts: first-degree sexual assault and third-degree sexual assault on a 12-year-old girl. Mafi was arrested April 17.
Damwijk was arrested at a relative's home on O'ahu on April 18. He was wanted in Washington on two counts of child rape and two counts of child molestation of two girls, both 8.
"Like the original Falcon, this operation was an enormous success," said "Dutch" Hanohano, U.S. Marshal for the District of Hawai'i. "The capture of Damwijk and Mafi and the hundreds of others we have arrested across the country demonstrates the power of law enforcement we partner up with our federal, state and local counterparts."
