Vance County Operation nets Absconders, other Probation/Parole Violators

HENDERSON - Law enforcement and public safety agencies collaborated this week in a multi-agency search operation in Vance County, led by the Vance County District Attorney's Office, resulting in the apprehension of absconders and charges against others for violating their conditions of supervision.

The primary objective of the operation was to perform warrantless searches of supervised offenders and their residences while apprehending individuals with active arrest warrants related to probation or post-release supervision violations.

The searches were conducted Thursday, Sept. 18 between 6 a.m. and 5 p.m. Participating in the operation were probation officers from the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction, officers from Henderson Police Department, deputies from the Vance County Sheriff's Office, federal agents from the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), state agents from N.C. Alcohol Law Enforcement (ALE) and N.C. State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) and troopers from the N.C. State Highway Patrol. Prosecutions are being handled by the Vance County District Attorney's Office and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina.

"This operation is an excellent example of how effective law enforcement collaboration can be in improving safety in our communities," said Leslie Cooley Dismukes, secretary for the Department of Adult Correction. "I'd like to thank all our law enforcement partners and the Vance County District Attorney's Office for this partnership and our ongoing efforts to reduce crime and ensure compliance among those we supervise."

"The success of this operation is the result of extensive planning and preparation by the Department of Adult Correction, the Henderson Police Department and state and federal law enforcement agencies," said Vance County District Attorney Mike Waters.

"The FBI is committing resources to support our law enforcement partners across North Carolina every day. The FBI Raleigh Durham Safe Streets Task Force is honored to have assisted the Henderson Police Department in this important fugitive roundup. When we work together to address and mitigate violent crime, the American people win and the Justice system can take the next step to hold offenders convicted in court, accountable," said James C. Barnacle Jr., the FBI Special Agent in Charge in North Carolina.

"This successful operation is a prime example of how collaboration with our local, state and federal partners helps make all of our communities stronger and safer across the state," said ALE Director Bryan House. "I'm grateful for the strong relationships we've built that make operations like this possible."

"I commend all the officers involved for their determined efforts during this operation," said Tracy K. Lee, NCDAC deputy secretary for Community Supervision. "Efforts like this have a big impact on our pursuit of preventing crime, keeping communities safe and changing lives for the better."

The operation was very successful and yielded the following results:
• 16 warrantless searches were successfully completed at probationers' residences
• Those searches resulted in 5 arrests for probation violations
• 5 absconders from probation/parole supervision were captured
• 8 people on probation were arrested for a total of 19 felony charges and 6 misdemeanor charges