More than 1,100 sex offenders captured

Mark Sherman:

More than 1,100 people wanted for violent sex crimes were among 9,037 fugitives arrested in a weeklong roundup, the Justice Department said Thursday.

The arrests were made as part of "Operation Falcon II," a 27-state dragnet timed to coincide with National Victims Rights Week.

This year's focus was on sex offenders, a group that Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has made a priority in his 15 months at the Justice Department. Gonzales and U.S. Marshals Service Director John Clark were to discuss the results of the roundup later Thursday at a news conference in Washington.

During the week of April 17-23, federal, state and local authorities arrested 1,102 people wanted for violent sex crimes. It was the largest number ever captured in a single law enforcement operation, the department said. The arrests were made mainly in states west of the Mississippi River, and also in Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands.

Among those caught was William Wisham, who authorities said failed to register as a sex offender when he moved to a motel in Victorville, Calif. Investigators found letters to children, notes explaining why he enjoys sex with children, child pornography, candy and methamphetamines.

Police are working to locate children listed in Wisham's diary-style notes and said initial indications are that Wisham used candy to lure at least one child.

In Oahu, Hawaii, police arrested Herbert Damwijk, who is wanted in Washington state on two counts of child rape and molestations against 8-year-old girls, the department said. He was arrested April 17 at his father's residence and awaits extradition to Washington.

Last week's sweep netted more than 10,000 fugitives, 10 times the average in a week, but just 1 percent of the 1 million fugitives in the FBI's national database.

Marshals arrested 35,500 federal fugitives for all of the government budget year that ended Sept. 30. They worked with state and local authorities to nab another 44,000 people, according to the Marshals' Web site.

County & US Marshal Operation Nets 32 Wanted On Violent Crimes