Hunting Criminals to Hiding Them

About the Book

The manuscript, Hunting Criminals to Hiding Them, My Journey to and with the United States Marshals Service, is the story of my career working with the oldest federal law enforcement agency, the U.S. Marshals Service. I begin with my childhood years in Chicago, Illinois, and discuss my three dreams and goals of playing professional football, serving in the military, and becoming a police officer. I was able to accomplish two of my goals - serving 25 years part-time in the military, while simultaneously working for the Markham Police Department and then the U.S. Marshals Service. My family and several good friends are briefly mentioned, including my fugitive partner, and a longtime military colleague and friend. I talk about various phases of my career climbing the ladder in the U.S. Marshals Service, including serving as a Chief Inspector in the Prisoner Services Division to my historic appointment as the first African American Deputy Marshal to be promoted to the Senior Executive Service as an Assistant Director. My journey discusses significant achievements I made protecting federal judges and federal court facilities. The main focus of the book is my love of hunting and arresting criminal fugitives, and subsequently spending the last nine years of my U.S. Marshals Service career working diligently to hide and safeguard them in the Witness Security Program. I discuss a number of cases I worked on and made arrests for. I also mention major enhancements I implemented for the Witness Security Program including the establishment of International Symposiums on Witness Security, partnering with INTERPOL and other international organizations. Lastly, I write about my travel around the globe assisting countries to establish or enhance Witness Protection Programs in efforts to maintain and preserve justice.

About the Author

Sylvester Jones began his law enforcement career as a police officer with the Markham Police Department in Markham, Ill. He served there four years before joining the United States Marshals Service as a Deputy U.S. Marshal in 1987. He worked in the Chicago office of the Northern District of Illinois. Mr. Jones served the U.S. Marshals Service in offices throughout the country. Mr. Jones worked in the District of the Virgin Islands from 1993-94 and as a Supervisory Deputy in the District of Puerto Rico from 1994-96. In 1996, he became Chief Inspector in the Prisoner Services Division. In April 1998, he was promoted to National Program Manager for the Court Security Program, a major law enforcement and security program in the Judicial Security Division. One year later, he was selected as the Acting Assistant Director for the Judicial Security Division. In December 1999, Mr. Jones was assigned as the Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal for the Northern District of Georgia. In November 2000, he returned to Marshals Service headquarters as the Assistant Director for the Judicial Security Division, while also being assigned as the Agency Deciding Official for all Discipline. In June 2004, he was selected as the Assistant Director for the Prisoner Services Division—which was renamed Witness Security and Prisoner Operations Division. After the Marshals Service reorganized in April 2008, Mr. Jones was assigned to continue to lead the Witness Security Division. That was his last position with the Marshals Service as he retired from the agency on January 11, 2014, as the most senior operational Assistant Director and career Senior Executive, to run for the office of Sheriff of Prince George’s County, Maryland. Mr. Jones was officially promoted to the Senior Executive Staff on August 21, 2001. This made him the first African American law enforcement officer in Marshals Service history to be promoted from within the ranks to the Senior Executive Service tier. As of the date of publishing his book, Mr. Jones is the first career Senior Executive—Deputy Marshal to attend and graduate from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Executive Institute. Mr. Jones has also appeared on Cable News Network (CNN), Al Jazeera International News Network, and Fox News in Chicago, Illinois as a law enforcement Commentator. Mr. Jones was born in Chicago. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Chicago State University. He completed his Master of Science degree in human resources at the University of Maryland University College in August 2004. Mr. Jones is a retired member of the U.S. Armed Forces retiring as a seasoned Lieutenant Colonel from the Army National Guard with 25 years of total service. He has served on both active and reserve duty. He is a Desert Shield/Desert Storm veteran with many decorations. Mr. Jones has received numerous awards during his Marshals Service and Army careers. He is a life member with the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, United States Marshals Service Association, and Disabled Association of Veteran’s, a member with the National Sheriff’s Association, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated, and also serves as a Member of the Board of Directors for People for Change Coalition in Largo, Maryland.