Chief Inspector Thomas Hession has been a deputy U.S. marshal for 20 years, serving in Virginia, California and Indiana. In 2004, he became the commander of the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force.
U.S. Marshals played a major role during the D.C. crime emergency beginning this summer.
We responded by bringing in additional personnel and resources, and concentrated on the worst offenders. We have done this from July to the present. In August, we conducted “Operation City Heat” to arrest as many of these offenders. We’ve arrested over a thousand offenders since July.
At the same time, you were working on Operation Falcon III. What was that and how did it go?
In August, Congress passed and the president had signed the Adam Walsh Act, which authorized the United States Marshals Service to investigate and arrest individuals who violate the act. Falcon III concentrated on those individuals who were wanted for sex offenses and who were gang members. The operation was a huge success with over 10,000 arrests, of which 1,600 were sex offenders.
Who are some of the notorious criminals you’ve arrested?
I have arrested hundreds, if not thousands, of individuals over my 20-year career, many who were wanted for violent crime. While the case may have been assigned to me, it was always a team effort.
Any interesting stories you can tell?
Those I will save for the book. What the public needs to know is that the U.S. Marshals Service has been around since 1789, when George Washington appointed the first 13 marshals. Our federal system of justice can’t function without the deputy U.S. marshal. I have seen a lot of changes in my career, but the one thing that always stays the same is the dedication of the men and women of the United States Marshals.
