Category: US Marshals Service

Source: US Marshals Service

Washington, DC – A man wanted in Rhode Island on charges of murder, inflicting serious bodily injury to a child and unlawful flight to avoid prosecution has been added to the U.S. Marshals Service 15 Most Wanted fugitives list with an up to $25,000 reward being offered for information leading to his arrest. 

Olalekan Abimbola Olawusi, 48, was charged in Providence with first-degree murder and two counts of inflicting serious bodily injury to a child after Providence Police and Fire personnel found his 3-month-old son bleeding from the mouth and nose at a residence April 3, 2017.

The child was transported to the hospital in cardiac arrest and needed to be resuscitated to regain a pulse.  An examination at the hospital noted 18 injuries at various stages of healing, indicating a pattern of long-term abuse. These injuries included a skull fracture, subdural hematoma, significant brain injury, and fractures of the child’s ribs, clavicle, legs and arms.  He was placed on life support but died six months later.

Providence police arrested and charged Olawusi April 20, 2017, with first-degree child abuse.  He was released the same day and subsequently fled.  The murder charge was added following the infant’s death Oct. 31, 2017.

In November 2017, the Providence Police Department and the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office requested the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) to locate Olawusi. Subsequent investigation revealed that Olawusi had flown out of John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York on June 20, 2017, using his Nigerian passport. Investigators believe Olawusi may be receiving assistance from family members in Nigeria and that he could be a danger to other children.

“Mr. Olawusi is wanted for the abuse and murder of an innocent child, and has fled the country to avoid justice,” said Director Ronald L. Davis of the U.S. Marshals Service. “We have placed Mr. Olawusi on our 15 Most Wanted list due to the heinous crimes he’s committed and the threat he continues to pose to the public. The USMS will exhaust all resources necessary to bring him to justice for his family and the community.”

Olawusi, who uses the alias Olekun Olawusi, stands 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighs approximately 185 pounds. He has black hair and brown eyes. 

Information regarding his whereabouts may be reported to the U.S. Marshals at 1-877-WANTED2 (926-8332) or via the USMS Tips App. 

Created in 1983, the USMS 15 Most Wanted (15MW) fugitive program draws attention to some of the country’s most dangerous and high-profile fugitives. These fugitives tend to be career criminals with histories of violence who pose a significant threat to public safety. Generally, 15MW fugitives are considered the “worst of the worst” and can include murderers, sex offenders, major drug kingpins, organized crime figures and individuals wanted for high-profile financial crimes. Since the program began in 1983, more than 250 15MW fugitive cases have been closed. 

The USMS has a long history of providing assistance and expertise to other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in support of their fugitive investigations. Working with authorities at the federal, state, tribal, and local levels, USMS-led fugitive task forces arrested more than 73,000 fugitives and cleared nearly 86,000 warrants in FY 2023.     

Source: US Marshals Service

Bells, TN – Today, U.S. Marshals captured Antonio Pewitte, 37, of Humboldt, TN, at a Memphis residence. Pewitte was wanted for attempted first degree murder for a stabbing incident that occurred in Bells in Crockett County, TN.

On October 19, 2024, the Bells Police Department investigated an incident where it is alleged that Pewitte laid in wait outside his former girlfriend’s place of employment. As she entered the building, Pewitte approached her from behind and stabbed her multiple times in the face and head with a knife. He then fled the scene. The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) Two Rivers Violent Fugitive Task Force in Jackson was requested to locate and apprehend Pewitte.

On the morning of October 29, U.S. Marshals developed information that Pewitte was in Memphis. The USMS, assisted by the Memphis Police and Shelby County Fugitive Apprehension teams, went to a residence in the 2200 block of Falling Oak Way. Pewitte was safely taken into custody and transported to the Bells Police Department.

The USMS would like to acknowledge the Bells, Gadsen, Humboldt, and Brownsville Police Departments, as well as the Crockett and Gibson County Sheriff’s Departments for their work on the case. The USMS would also like to thank the citizens who called in information.

The U.S. Marshals Two Rivers Violent Fugitive Task Force is a multi-agency task force within Western Tennessee. The TRVFTF has offices in Memphis and Jackson, and its membership is primarily composed of Deputy U.S. Marshals, Shelby, Fayette, and Tipton County Sheriff’s Deputies, Memphis and Jackson Police Officers, the Tennessee Department of Correction Special Agents and the Tennessee Highway Patrol. Since 2021, the TRVFTF has captured approximately 3,000 violent offenders and sexual predators.

Source: US Marshals Service

Norfolk, VA – On October 1, 2024, the United States Marshals Service (USMS) Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force (CARFTF), in coordination with the Norfolk Police Department and the USMS Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force (PNVOTF), located and safely arrested a woman wanted for child abduction.

Anna Sugg, 41, of Norfolk was wanted for the parental abduction of a child which she shared joint custody of with the child’s father. Sugg fled the state of Virginia with the child in March 2024. Sugg withheld the child from the father, who is an active-duty military service member, for over six months without contact.

In late September 2024, CARFTF investigators developed information that Sugg was in the state of Oregon and requested the assistance of the USMS Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force (PNVOTF) to locate Sugg and the child. Investigators determined the type of vehicle that Sugg and the child were travelling in, and focused on the Cloverdale, Oregon area.

On October 1, 2024, PNVOTF investigators established surveillance on a campsite in the Sand Lake recreation area and observed Sugg and the child walking on Sand Lake Road. Sugg was taken into custody and transported to Tillamook County Jail to be held pending extradition to Virginia. The child was recovered and placed with Oregon Child Protective Services pending the father’s arrival from Virginia.

The USMS CARFTF began operations in June 2004. The CARFTF has partnership agreements with 14 federal and 87 state, and local agencies and operates in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia. The CARFTF has apprehended more than 102,000 fugitives since its inception.

The USMS PNVOTF began operations in August 2010. The PNVOTF Oregon has partnership agreements with 6 federal, and 23 state and local agencies. The PNVOTF operates in the state of Oregon and additionally supports investigative missions in Washington and Alaska.
 

Source: US Marshals Service

Jackson, TN – The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and Jackson Police Department (JPD) captured a violent fugitive, Quoterrius Osler, and recovered a cache of weapons.

JPD responded to a shooting on October 11, 2024, in Chapel Ridge Apartments and found two people suffering from gunshot wounds. JPD investigators determined that Quoterrius Osler, 24, of Jackson, was responsible for this crime. A warrant was issued for Osler’s arrest for attempted first degree murder. The USMS Two Rivers Violent Fugitive Task Force in Jackson was requested to assist in finding and apprehending Osler.

On October 24, Deputy marshals, ATF agents, and JPD officers took Osler into custody at a residence in the 50 block of Point O’ Woods Drive in Jackson. During a search of the residence, JPD investigators recovered seven firearms. One of the recovered firearms had an attached device known as a “Glock switch” or auto sear that converts the firearm from a semi-automatic to fully automatic weapon.

The U.S. Marshals Two Rivers Violent Fugitive Task Force (TRVFTF) is a multi-agency task force within Western Tennessee. The TRVFTF has offices in Memphis and Jackson, and its membership is primarily composed of Deputy U.S. Marshals, Shelby, Fayette, and Tipton County Sheriff’s Deputies, Memphis and Jackson Police Officers, the Tennessee Department of Correction Special Agents and the Tennessee Highway Patrol. Since 2021, the TRVFTF has captured 3,000 violent offenders and sexual predators.

Source: US Marshals Service

Baltimore, MD – A federal jury convicted Igor Yasinov, 35, of four counts of Assaulting, Resisting, or Impeding Certain Officers or Employees, Inflicting Bodily Injury. The verdict was announced October 24 following a four-day trial.

The conviction was announced by Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland; Clinton J. Fuchs, U.S. Marshal for the District of Maryland; and Carolyn J. Scruggs, Secretary of the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services.

According to the press release issued by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland, Igor Yasinov assaulted multiple members of the correctional staff at the Chesapeake Detention Facility on November 16, 2021, causing several injuries.  At the time of the incident, the facility exclusively housed federal inmates awaiting the disposition of criminal cases pursuant to an intergovernmental agreement between the United States Marshal Service and the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services.  

“We frequently count on our state and local partners to help the U.S. Marshals Service house our detainees,” said Clinton Fuchs, U.S. Marshal for the District of Maryland. “As such, we want to do everything we can to protect the correctional officers who help us protect the community.”  

“The outcome of this case comes as a result of overwhelming evidence collected throughout the investigation,” said Mathew Silverman, Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal for the District of Maryland. “We hope the victims find solace in a guilty verdict.”

Yasinov faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison for each count of Assaulting, Resisting, or Impeding Certain Officers or Employees, Inflicting Bodily Injury. U.S. District Judge Julie R. Rubin has scheduled sentencing for February 20, 2025, at 11 a.m.

Source: US Marshals Service

Portland, ME – The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) in Maine, announce the arrest of multiple Massachusetts fugitives in the towns of Madison and Skowhegan, Maine.

On October 24, 2024, the USMS, Maine Violent Offender Task Force (MVOTF) located and apprehended a fugitive following a vehicle stop in Madison, Maine. The fugitive, identified as a juvenile, had warrants issued out of Bristol County, Massachusetts Superior Court for carrying a loaded firearm without license, carrying a firearm without license, assault & battery with a firearm, discharging a firearm within 500ft of a building, vandalizing property, and malicious damage to a motor vehicle. A firearm and an alleged
quantity of drugs were also recovered.

Today, Oct 25th, Kvon Brooks, 18, was located and apprehended in Skowhegan, Maine, on warrants issued out of Fall River, Massachusetts District Court for attempted murder, strangulation or suffocation, assault & battery on a family/household member, assault & battery on a pregnant victim, and vandalizing property. Brooks was a passenger in a vehicle stopped by U.S. Marshal Task Force members earlier this morning.

Concurrent to Brooks’ arrest, another passenger, identified as a juvenile, was found to have outstanding warrants out of Bristol County, Massachusetts Superior Court for carrying a firearm without a license, carrying a loaded firearm without license, possession of ammunition without FID card, possession of large capacity firearm, and trespass.

The Massachusetts, the USMS New England HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area) Fugitive Task Force, Massachusetts State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section (VFAS), and the New Bedford, Massachusetts Police Department, worked collaboratively and provided information to the U.S. Marshals, Maine Violent Offender Task Force. All three subjects were arrested without incident and charged as fugitives from justice.

The USMS, Maine Violent Offender Task Force is comprised of members of the U.S. Marshals Service, Maine Department of Corrections, Biddeford Police Department, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Maine National Guard Counterdrug Task Force.

If you have any information regarding the whereabouts of any state or federal fugitive, please contact the United States Marshals Service at MED.TIPLINE@usdoj.gov, or submit a web tip.

Source: US Marshals Service

Philadelphia, PA — Members of the U.S. Marshals Eastern Pennsylvania Violent Crimes Fugitive Task Force arrested Raphael Ezeamaka,18, at an apartment complex in the 400 block of Ramunno Drive in Middletown, Delaware. Ezeamaka was wanted by the Philadelphia Police Department for three counts of Attempt to commit Criminal Homicide in relation to a shooting that took place October 8th on a SEPTA (Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority) bus in the 700 block of S. 57th Street. After exiting the route G bus, Ezeamaka turned and fired multiple rounds into the bus, striking 3 women. On April 10th, a warrant was issued for Ezeamaka’s arrest and the fugitive warrant was delegated to the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force. 

On October 23rd, investigators from the Marshals Fugitive Task Force in Philadelphia developed information Ezeamaka was presently in an apartment in Middletown, Delaware. Marshals from the Philadelphia and Wilmington offices proceeded to the apartment and upon knocking and announcing, Ezeamaka attempted to flee from the second-floor rear balcony. Ezeamaka was then approached by investigators and apprehended in a rear bedroom without incident. Ezeamaka is being held at the Howard Young Correctional Institution where he awaits extradition to Philadelphia.  

“The arrest of Ezeamaka should assure the citizens of Philadelphia that violent crime fugitives will be aggressively pursued no matter where they flee” said Robert Clark, Supervisory Deputy Marshal for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

The Eastern Pennsylvania Violent Crimes Fugitive Task Force is a team of law enforcement officers led by U.S. Marshals in Philadelphia and the surrounding counties. The task force’s objective is to seek out and arrest violent crime fugitives. Membership agencies include the Philadelphia Police Department, Pennsylvania State Parole Officers, Pennsylvania State Police, Pennsylvania Attorney General Agents, Immigration Customs Enforcement, Chester Police Department, Bucks County Sheriff’s Office, and Delaware County Sheriff’s Office.

Source: US Marshals Service

Spokane, WA – Brandon Frackenpohl, 34, was arrested without incident an hour outside of Klamath Falls, Oregon, by the United States Marshals Service (USMS) Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force and Klamath County Sheriff deputies.

Frackenpohl allegedly raped and molested an eight-year-old child in Airway Heights, Washington on 6/30/2024.

Frackenpohl fled the state of Washington shortly after the incident. On 9/18/2024, an arrest warrant was issued for Frackenpohl by the Spokane County Superior Court.

Frackenpohl is charged with one count of Rape of a Child in the First Degree and one count of Child Molestation in the First Degree. He will be booked into the county jail and is awaiting extradition back to Washington State. Airway Heights Police detectives worked tirelessly and around the clock with the U.S. Marshals to apprehend Frackenpohl.

Craig Thayer, United States Marshal for the Eastern District of Washington commented, “Our children are our most precious resource, and we all share the greatest responsibility to insure their physical and emotional safety and wellbeing. The U. S. Marshals Service will relentlessly pursue those accused of crimes of sexual abuse against children, in concert with our law enforcement partner agencies, to bring those accused to answer these charges in a court of law.  The U. S. Marshals led Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force (PNVOTF) commends the investigative work of the Airway Heights Police Department and their cooperative efforts that have resulted in the arrest of this suspect.”

Anyone with information on wanted fugitives is urged to contact the nearest U.S. Marshals office, the U.S. Marshals Service Communications Center at 1-800-336-0102, submit a USMS Web Tip.

Source: US Marshals Service

Washington, DC – The manhunt for an Illinois murder suspect placed on the U.S. Marshals 15 Most Wanted fugitives list in 2020 ended Oct. 21, 2024, when Mexican law enforcement officers arrested John Panaligan in Tepic, Mexico. The fugitive is not a national of the country and was turned over to Mexican immigration authorities who deported him to the United States Oct. 22.

Panaligan, 57, was wanted for allegedly murdering attorney Victor Jigar Patel, who was found strangled to death in his Northbrook, Illinois, office Dec. 7, 2016. At the time of his death, Patel, 36, was representing plaintiffs suing Panaligan in civil court. 

“I want to express my appreciation and gratitude to the men and women of the Marshals Service, as well as to the officials from the Government of Mexico,” said Director Ronald L. Davis. “I hope this arrest brings some measure of comfort to the Patel family and serves as a stark reminder to fugitives from justice that there is no place to hide.”

“The collaborative work of the Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force and the Northbrook Police Department in the apprehension of this international fugitive is a testament to our strong regional relationships and the value it brings to our community,” said U.S. Marshal LaDon Reynolds of the Northern District of Illinois. 

“The United States Marshal’s Great Lakes Fugitive Task Force worked tirelessly in collaboration with the Northbrook Police and other agencies to apprehend the fugitive.  The relentless efforts by law enforcement for the past 8 years are a clear reminder that you cannot hide from justice. The Northbrook Police Department remains committed to providing closure for the family of the victim, Jigar Patel,” said Interim Chief John Ustich of the Northbrook Police Department.

Panaligan allegedly lured Patel to his law office by scheduling an appointment using an alias. Authorities believe Panaligan showed up wearing a disguise, which was captured on nearby security cameras, and then killed the victim in his office. 

Two days later, Panaligan was detained at the Canadian border for allegedly smuggling a firearm into Canada but was eventually allowed to return to the U.S. where he was interviewed by Northbrook Police in relation to Patel’s death. During the investigation, authorities executed multiple search warrants of Panaligan’s belongings and property. Evidence collected gave authorities reason to believe Panaligan was the prime suspect in Patel’s murder. 

Panaligan is believed to have fled to Mexico before he could be arrested. An arrest warrant for first-degree murder was issued for Panaligan Feb. 8, 2017. The USMS placed him on its 15 Most Wanted list Nov. 23, 2020, and offered a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to his capture. Due to Panaligan’s international ties and dual citizenship between the U.S. and the Republic of the Philippines, authorities believed he could have traveled anywhere with assistance from acquaintances to elude capture.

Created in 1983, the USMS 15 Most Wanted (15MW) fugitive program draws attention to some of the country’s most dangerous and high-profile fugitives. These fugitives tend to be career criminals with histories of violence who pose a significant threat to public safety. 

Generally, 15MW fugitives are considered the “worst of the worst” and can include murderers, sex offenders, major drug kingpins, organized crime figures and individuals wanted for high-profile financial crimes. Since the program began in 1983, more than 250 15MW fugitive cases have been closed. 

The USMS has a long history of providing assistance and expertise to other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in support of their fugitive investigations. Working with authorities at the federal, state, tribal, and local levels, USMS-led fugitive task forces arrested more than 73,000 fugitives and cleared nearly 86,000 warrants in FY 2023.  

Source: US Marshals Service

On Tuesday, October 22, 2024, Deputy U.S. Marshal Maggie Barone received the 2024 International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) 40 Under 40 Award at IACP’s annual conference in Boston, Massachusetts. This award program is designed to recognize 40 law enforcement professionals under the age of 40 from around the world who demonstrate leadership and exemplify commitment to their profession.

“Deputy Barone embodies what it means to be a great leader and consistently demonstrates exemplary initiative and steadfast determination in her assignments,” said U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) Director Ronald L. Davis, who attended the event. “The level of excellence, dedication, and professionalism she brings with her makes her an ideal recipient of this prestigious award.”

“Deputy Barone typifies the U.S. Marshals Service’s values of leadership, innovation, and public safety, and brings her extraordinary commitment to apprehending dangerous fugitives, advancing cutting-edge technology, and solving cold cases,” said Investigative Operations Division Assistant Director Peter Marketos. “She has made a profound impact on our agency and the communities we serve.”

Barone currently serves as the Assistant Chief of the USMS’ Office of Operational Technologies, which is dedicated to pioneering and implementing cutting-edge investigative technologies that enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of law enforcement, while steadfastly upholding and protecting civil liberties.

Over the past year, Barone served a temporary duty and promotion assignment as the Assistant Chief of the Criminal Intelligence Branch, with a direct oversight role as program manager of SHIELD, a first-of-its-kind technology, enabling Deputies, Investigators, and Task Force Officers to access certain criminal information via agency-issued mobile devices. Barone not only ensured the endeavor succeeded but accomplished this feat under budget and ahead of schedule. 

“It is an honor to be named alongside such a remarkable group as one of this year’s 40 under 40. Throughout my career with the Marshals Service, I have worked with some of the most hard working and dedicated folks in law enforcement, who have inspired me each step of the way,” Barone said. “This award is not just a reflection of one person’s accomplishments, but that of a team. We never succeed alone, and I want to say thank you to everyone on my team!”

Barone is a founding member and primary manager of one of the USMS’ newest initiatives, the Cold and Complex Cases (C3) Program. Having read a study regarding fugitive investigations that showed, after 3 years, the chances of finding a fugitive are low, Barone initiated C3 to intervene sooner and more intensely on the USMS’s most significant cold cases.

Barone has also been part of several national initiatives including USMS’s 15 Most Wanted and has appeared on media programs to further educate the public about USMS and certain high-profile cases. 

Director Davis with IACP 40 Under 40 Award recipient Assistant Chief Maggie Barone of the Investigative Operations Division.