Oct. 26--BROOKSVILLE -- A joint effort by deputies and police officers has resulted in close to 400 arrests of wanted persons countywide along with a seizure of drugs, firearms and money.
During a news conference Thursday morning, Sheriff Al Nienhuis announced the county's participation in Operation Felon Sweep, an initiative by 44 sheriffs' offices statewide that resulted in close to 12,000 arrests during a three-week period between Sept. 28 and Oct. 22.
While Hernando County's arrests make up about 3.3 percent of those captured in the sweep, Nienhuis said he didn't want the results of the two local agencies' efforts to be overshadowed.
"Before Halloween, we wanted to try and get as many of these wanted persons off the street who otherwise might have victimized some of our citizens," Nienhuis said. "Overall I'm very impressed. This turned out to be a great operation and our people did a great job."
In all, 396 wanted persons were arrested with 223 of those being probable cause and felony warrant arrests.
Ten firearms also were confiscated along with 122.2 grams of marijuana, 108 marijuana plants, 26.4 grams of heroin, 35 grams of methamphetamine, 401 prescription pills, $14,484 and four automobiles.
Operation Felon Sweep was orchestrated by the Florida Sheriff's Association in an attempt to remove violent felons along with those wanted for outstanding warrants, according to the agency's news release.
Nienhuis said Thursday that deputies learned roughly 97 individuals who were sought are believed to have left the county and added law enforcement officials were determining whether they could be found and extradited back to Hernando County.
"There are always going to be people we are looking for," Nienhuis said. "But word is getting out that it's difficult to hide in Hernando County."
Copyright 2012 - Hernando Today, Brooksville, Fla.
