Authorities at the federal, state and local level carried out an initiative to cut down on crime by rounding up more than 80 people in Connecticut and about half a dozen other states wanted for “egregious” offenses involving violence.
The initiative, dubbed “Operation No Escape,” was a collaboration led by the FBI and partnering with the U.S. Marshals Service, the state Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection — which oversees the Connecticut State Police — and municipal police departments across the state.
“This is one of the most effective ways to cut down on violent crime,” Acting U.S. Marshal John Iverson said during a news conference Tuesday morning at the FBI’s New Haven Field Office.
According to P.J. O’Brien, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Connecticut district, “Operation No Escape” was part of a larger nation effort known as “Summer Heat” — a multi-agency fugitive operation to combat violent crime.
O’Brien said the statewide effort took place over the past three weeks and led to 84 people with warrants out for their arrest being taken into custody, most of whom were apprehended in Connecticut. About half a dozen apprehensions occurred in other states , stretching from New York to as far as California, and in Puerto Rico.
Federal agents worked with state and municipal police to prioritize individuals who were wanted for the “most violent crimes” and “egregious warrants,” O’Brien said. They were not tied to any one gang or criminal enterprise, but rather those most wanted by authorities across Connecticut.
A majority of those apprehended were U.S. citizens, O’Brien said. Most of them were wanted for crimes in Connecticut and had ties to the Nutmeg State.
According to Ronnell Higgins, commissioner of the DESPP, initiatives like “Operation No Escape” help drive down violent crime, making Connecticut a safer place to work, live and raise a family.
“We are stronger because we are working together,” Higgins said, adding that the individuals who were apprehended posed a threat to the many neighborhoods in the state.
During the first quarter of the year, the state saw nearly a 10% drop in crimes against persons — which includes homicide, sexual assault, robbery, kidnapping and other serious offenses — compared to the same time period in 2024, according to Higgins. It represented the lowest those types of crimes have been since 2021, Higgins said.
Higgins also said he has a simple message for criminals.
“We will find you, we will take you into custody, we will turn you over to state’s attorneys offices for prosecution and you will be held accountable,” he said.
O’Brien said authorities anticipate making additional arrests based on the efforts that arose out of the operation. He also said the FBI New Haven Field Office will be working toward establishing a “top 10” most wanted list in Connecticut, similar to the national model that has been in place for years.
“Our work has not concluded,” O’Brien said.
The top 10 list will look to engage the public through an advertising campaign and will offer cash rewards for information leading investigators to the state’s most wanted fugitives, he said. It could be rolled out as early as this fall and will be part of the “standing portfolio” for the FBI’s Connecticut district.
