Police Locate Felons Through Food Stamp Rolls

More than 50 Puget Sound criminals were among those arrested in a nationwide sweep carried out by authorities using food stamp records, authorities said Friday.

The state Department of Social and Health Services helped match state food stamp rolls with outstanding felony warrants, leading to the arrests of 53 people in the Puget Sound: 24 from Pierce County, 27 from King County and one each from Thurston and Snohomish counties.

They were among nearly 2,200 arrested nationwide by authorities matching food stamp records and felony warrants.

The sweep was made legal by last year’s welfare law, which allowed state welfare agencies to provide information to law enforcement agencies to track down fleeing felons.

The computer cross-matching program is to be expanded nationwide in the coming months.

Before the new law, privacy protections made it illegal for police to check food stamp rolls.