In this article, our Las Vegas Nevada criminal defense attorneys provide an overview of the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) in Nevada:

• 1. What does the U.S. Marshals Service in Las Vegas do?
• 2. What does the USMS have jurisdiction over?
• 3. Where is the office located?
• 4. How do I contact the Marshals Office?
• 5. What are my options if I am an active fugitive?

1. What does the U.S. Marshals Service in Las Vegas do?

U.S. Marshal officers are most visible in Las Vegas’s federal courthouse. Officers patrol the entrance, screen visitors, and manage security. There is usually an officer in each courtroom while court is in session. And their purpose is to protect the federal judges as well as:

• Jurors,
• Witnesses,
• Prisoners,
• Attorneys,
• Clerks, and
• The Public

But the USMS is active behind the scenes as well. They search for and apprehend fugitives. They run the Witness Security Program (which protects endangered witnesses in federal cases). They transport federal prisoners through the Justice Prisoner and Alien Transportation System (JPATS). And they manage and sell assets that were seized through criminal activity.

2. What does the USMS have jurisdiction over?

The USMS is the law enforcement agency for the Department of Justice (DOJ). In short, they are federal police. So they are deployed in federal rather than state matters:

Example: Henry is a pimp in Las Vegas who traffics women across state lines into Nevada. Since this is a federal crime, the USMS would apprehend him. If Henry was instead hiring sex workers from within Nevada — which is a state crime — then the local Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department would likely apprehend him.

However, the USMS frequently works with state and local law enforcement to make arrests. The USMS deputizes certain state and local officers as task force officers. These task force officers may cross jurisdictional boundaries and have some Marshal privileges.

3. Where is the office located?

The USMS has its Nevada headquarters in downtown Las Vegas:

Lloyd D. George – U.S. Federal Courthouse

333 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Suite 2058

Las Vegas, NV 89101

(702) 388-6286

USMS also has a sub-office in Reno:

Bruce R. Thompson Courthouse and Federal Building

400 South Virginia Street, Room 201

Reno, NV 89501

(775) 686-5780

USMS officers also frequently appear in the following two federal buildings:

Foley Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse

300 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Suite 2058,

Las Vegas, NV 89101

Clifton Young Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse

300 Booth Street

Reno, NV 89509

4. How do I contact the Marshals Office?

The USMS general phone number is (202) 307-9100. The phone number for the District of Nevada is (702) 388-6355. People may submit anonymous tips online.

People may also show up to the USMS field offices. (The addresses are above in section 3.) But visitors will need to go through a metal detector. And the officers may run a warrant check.

5. What are my options if I am an active fugitive?

The best option for fugitives is to contact an experienced criminal defense attorney right away. Attorneys can look into their cases and explain all of their choices, obligations, and rights.

Criminal defense attorneys are bound by confidentiality. This is true even if the fugitives do not hire them. So fugitives do not have to fear blowing their cover by seeking legal help.

If a fugitive wants to surrender, having an attorney can make the process as smooth as possible. The attorney can coordinate ahead of time with the USMS. They can agree on a time and non-public place with minimal drama.

Call a Las Vegas criminal defense attorney…

Have you been arrested in Nevada on a federal charge? Contact our Las Vegas Federal Crimes Lawyer.

Federal court is a lot stricter and more formal than state court. Defendants need legal representation experienced in federal law and procedures. Las Vegas Defense Group has decades of combined experience defending clients in federal court.

Like state prosecutors, federal prosecutors have a burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. We will aggressively investigate your case in search of all the holes in the state’s evidence. We may be able to negotiate a charge reduction or even a full dismissal. And if necessary we will fight zealously for your innocence at trial.

In California? Learn more about our California federal crimes defense lawyers.