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Foundational Concept

Sting Operation

Also Known As Undercover Operation
Investigation and Evidence Concepts

In law enforcement, a sting operation is a deceptive investigative technique designed to catch a person in the act of attempting to commit a crime. The mere use of undercover officers or informants does not by itself establish the legal defense of entrapment, though defendants frequently raise it in response to a sting. A well-known early example is Operation Flagship, a 1985 sting in which US Marshals arrested more than one hundred fugitives by posing as a television company and inviting them to an event at the Washington Convention Center. Stings are not without controversy: in one case targeting an alleged plot to bomb a synagogue and shoot down National Guard aircraft, a US judge publicly criticized the FBI for its reliance on what the judge called an unsavory informant. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

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Criminal investigation 1
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Sources
1. Wikipedia: Sting Operation
  • Lead, legal and controversy sections
    In law enforcement, a sting operation is a deceptive operation designed to catch a person attempting to commit a crime.
  • Lead section
    In a 1985 sting known as Operation Flagship, US Marshals arrested over 100 fugitives by posing as a television company inviting them to the Washington Convention Center.
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