WASHINGTON ? The Department of Justice via the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) launched a Web site highlighting the 10 most wanted sex offenders in the United States. Seven other countries have also launched similar sites, according to the USMS.
The site can be accessed at www.usmarshals.gov/investigations/g8/index.html.
The US G8-affiliated Wanted Child Sex Offender (WCSO) initiative, in collaboration with INTERPOL, aims to identify and apprehend wanted child sex offenders from the G8 countries including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Russia, by bringing together initiatives relating to child sex offenders.
The USMS is leading the US participation in the G8 Most Wanted initiative through the National Sex Offender Targeting Center (NSOTC). The NSOTC is designed to be an interagency intelligence and operations center supporting the identification, investigation, location, apprehension and prosecution of non-compliant, unregistered fugitive sex offenders.
“We are excited to be the lead US law enforcement agency on this initiative,” Dave Harlow, chief of the USMS sex offender investigation branch said. “We are dedicated to taking child sex offenders off the streets of America. This Web site is a welcome new tool we can use to accomplish our mission.”
Partner G8 WCSO countries are committed to locating child sex offenders who are evading the authorities and continue to represent a threat to children, the USMS stated. The initiative is not aimed at “naming and shaming” all wanted child sex offenders, but rather to direct public attention to pictures of offenders whose locations are unknown in order to locate them.
“The G8 WCSO initiative and INTERPOL are great resources that recognize the importance of international cooperation,” Geoff Shank, deputy assistant director of USMS investigative operations division said. “As the US lead in this initiative, the U.S. Marshals bring international operational expertise that in 2009 resulted in over 500 international multi-jurisdictional arrests. Together we are collaboratively extending the long arm of the law to ensure the safety of our most vulnerable.”
Any identification of an individual should be reported directly to the USMS. Under no circumstances should the public take any actions themselves.
The US Marshals also warns the public against any vigilante action against offenders.
Anyone with information regarding any of the offenders should contact the US Marshals via e-mail at usms.wanted@usdoj.gov or by phone at 1-877-WANTED-2 (1-877-926-8332).
