Nevada law enforcement operation rounds up over 100 fugitives

U.S. Marshals Service in Nevada teamed up with law enforcement agencies around the state to arrest over 100 fugitives this month in a sweeping operation.

Nevada U.S. Marshal Gary Schofield announced Friday that U.S. marshals, FBI agents and law enforcement officers in Clark, Nye, Washoe and Elko counties tracked down at least 110 people with warrants during the operation, dubbed Operation Silver Star, which started April 8.

Marshals also seized nine guns and various narcotics.

Schofield said that out of the roughly 5,000 felony warrants in Nevada, about 1,800 are for violent crimes.

The operation targeted sex offenders, gang operations and fugitives wanted for violent crime.

Those arrested included 29-year-old Jonathan Cronin, a Sierra Vista High School teacher accused of inappropriately touching students. He was booked into the Clark County Detention Center last week.

Kevin Stubbs, a member of a white supremacist gang, also was arrested in Clark County last week, Schofield said. The 32-year-old faces more than 20 counts, including assault with a deadly weapon and possessing a firearm as a prohibited person.

Others were arrested on warrants for credit card fraud, drug possession and attempted murder, Schofield said.

“It tells fugitives we are looking actively for them, and Nevada is not the place to hide,” he said Friday.

Marshals also dispatched task forces to smaller counties to track down 1,039 registered sex offenders and make sure that they were in compliance with the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act.

Under the act, sex offenders must update their address with law enforcement every time they move so they can be tracked in a national registry.

About 90 registered sex offenders were not compliant, Schofield said. Marshals couldn’t verify the addresses of 115.

“The U.S. Marshal Service is the proverbial long arm of the law,” said Nicholas Trutanich, U.S. attorney for the District of Nevada. “Neighborhoods throughout Nevada are now safer thanks to Operation Silver Star.”

Schofield said the ongoing operation is funded by contributions from every agency involved but did not name a dollar amount. He said more arrests would come.

“As we speak, there are people that are actively being pursued by marshals,” Schofield said.

Contact Max Michor at mmichor@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0365. Follow @MaxMichor on Twitter.