Category: US Marshals Service

Source: US Marshals Service

Source: US Marshals Service

Columbus, OH – The U.S. Marshals Southern Ohio Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team (SOFAST) located and arrested fugitive Gvon Thornton early this morning.

Gvon Thornton was wanted by the Columbus Division of Police for Aggravated Murder, two counts of Murder, Attempted Murder, and Felonious Assault. On December 14, 2023, Thornton was indicted in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas on the above charges stemming from his alleged involvement in the shooting of two men in July of 2020 outside of a Columbus nightclub. The U.S. Marshals adopted the case, and the investigation led them this morning to a home in the 2000 block of Vendrome Dr. in Columbus. Thorton was located in the home, safely taken into custody, and turned over to Columbus Police.

“The arrest of this alleged homicide suspect is the result of the teamwork and collaboration between the Columbus Division of Police and all our task force partners. Combining our resources continues to yield positive results in making our communities safer.” – Michael D. Black, United States Marshal.

Columbus SOFAST is a fugitive-focused, U.S. Marshals Service-led task force consisting of local, state and federal authorities including the Columbus Division of Police, Ohio Adult Parole Authority, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Bexley Police Department, Cambridge Police Department, Capital University Police Department, Delaware County Probation Office, Groveport Police Department, Hocking County Sheriff’s Office, Lancaster Police Department, Mount Vernon Police Department, Ohio Attorney General Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Ohio Division of State Fire Marshal, Office of Inspector General Social Security Administration, United States Attorney’s Office, Utica Police Department, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Whitehall Police Department, and Zanesville Police Department.

Anyone with information on any fugitive may submit an anonymous web tip.
 

Source: US Marshals Service

Washington, DC – The Dominican Republic’s Direccion Nacional de Control de Drogas (National Drug Control Directorate) of the U.S. Marshals Dominican Republic Foreign Field Office (DRFFO) Fugitive Investigative Unit on Jan. 25 took into custody a man who absconded and failed to appear for his sentencing hearing in 1989 in El Segundo, California.

Henry Perea Jr. had pleaded guilty Feb. 28, 1989, to charges of felony rape and sexual battery in El Segundo before fleeing the United States. 

On Dec. 20, 2023, the Regional Security Office in Santo Domingo notified the DRFFO that Perea had submitted a passport application via mail and that he was residing in the Dominican Republic. After consulting with USMS Central District of California and the El Segundo Police Department, it was confirmed that the warrant was still active, and the USMS adopted the case. 

With the assistance of the RSO investigators, Perea was scheduled for an appointment with the consular section to retrieve his U.S. passport in person. Perea confirmed his identity by providing identifying information and admitted that he was the individual in the 1989 El Segundo Police Department booking photo. 

He was deported to the United States Jan. 26.

U.S. Marshals work with the international law enforcement community to apprehend fugitives abroad as well as to seek foreign fugitives living or residing in the United States. The Marshals protect the public from international fugitives through coordinated enforcement efforts with foreign and domestic law enforcement.

Four U.S. Marshals foreign field offices, a foreign law enforcement training program and an international liaison program coordinate these enforcement efforts. The agency also maintains liaison positions with INTERPOL Washington, the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and the Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service.

In fiscal year 2022, the Marshals closed 1,496 transnational fugitive investigations requiring investigative coordination with 125 countries and territories. The Marshals conducted 720 removals, including extraditions, foreign extraditions, deportations and expulsions, through coordination with 52 foreign nations.

The Marshals provide assistance, expertise and training on fugitive matters to federal, state, local and international agencies.

Source: US Marshals Service

On January 18, 2024, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) presented Rin and his handler with Purple Hearts. Both the tactical K9 and his handler, a USMS senior inspector, demonstrated exceptional courage when they were each shot and injured while executing an arrest warrant in Chicago with the USMS Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force (GLRFTF). Rin is the first K9 to receive a Purple Heart from the USMS. 

The suspect was wanted for attempted murder and robbery. Prior to the team breaching the door, shots were fired from inside the house. Rin was struck by a bullet in his chest which punctured one of his lungs and his handler was hit by gunfire in the hand and on his body armor. Rin’s handler immediately offered lifesaving medical aid to Rin while the rest of the task force focused on apprehending the fugitive. 

One of the GLRFTF’s task force officers drove the handler and Rin to the emergency veterinarian. While on the way, the senior inspector applied a tourniquet to his own arm to stop the bleeding while still attending to Rin. Once they arrived at the emergency veterinarian the injured handler assisted the staff and was able to keep Rin calm until he was sedated for surgery. Once Rin was under sedation, his handler was treated on scene for his bullet wound. 

The first 24 hours were rocky for Rin, but thankfully he was able to become stable. Rin was treated in Chicago at MedVet and was released three days after the incident. He is back in action and has since had many K9 surrenders, where fugitives are brought into custody with no injury to themselves, the deputies, or the canine. 

“This is a truly miraculous story of two heroes in a very difficult situation,” said the Chief of Staff, Silas V. Darden. “This is also significant as this is the first time in the Marshal Service that we have awarded a Purple Heart to a K9. We thank both Rin and his handler for their service and dedication.” 

Since the initial arrest, the suspect has been charged with attempted murder, injuring a police animal, aggravated cruelty to animals, assaulting a federal officer, and violating weapons laws.

The USMS is incredibly grateful for Rin and his handler. He has been incredibly humble throughout this entire experience, but his agility and decisiveness absolutely saved Rin’s life. His actions from this incident will be remembered and appreciated for years to come. Rin also saved multiple lives that day.

Most K9’s when they feel a threat would back away from a situation and Rin put himself in harm’s way to protect his fellow law enforcement officers. Thank you to Team Rin for a job well done and enduring the healing process, then hitting the streets again so soon after the incident. 

Rin would like to remind everyone who comes in contact with him and his handler – You can run, but you cannot hide!

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The USMS K9 Operations program provides dedicated protective, investigative, and enforcement K9 support to USMS missions. Until 2001, the agency relied mostly on local, state, and other federal K9 units for assistance. In 2001, the current USMS K9 Operations Program was established as a collateral duty program focused primarily on explosives and firearms detection. In 2016, Tactical K9 (TK9) operations were established. A USMS K9 team consists of a highly trained K9 and a deputy U.S. Marshal handler.  
  
The USMS TK9 provides tactical K9 resources that are specifically trained to conduct USMS enforcement operations in accordance with USMS policies and standard operating procedures. These teams are familiar with, and integrated into, USMS enforcement operations. TK9s are Belgian Malinois trained in-house by USMS K9 trainers.

Source: US Marshals Service

Source: US Marshals Service

Washington, DC – A U.S. Marshals 15 Most Wanted fugitive wanted in connection with the murder of an infant in New York in 2019 has been arrested in Mexico City.

Anthony Ojeda, aka Erik Jonathan Donas-Ojeda, 42, who was added to the 15 Most Wanted list in May 2022, is wanted by the Cohoes Police Department in New York for homicide.

On Jan. 24, Anthony Ojeda and his husband Neil Garzon were captured in Mexico City, Mexico, after more than two years on the run together.  

INTERPOL–Mexico conducted the arrest of Ojeda with the support of U.S. Marshals (USMS) from the Mexico Foreign Field Office and from the Northern District of New York. 

CDMX Secretaria de Seguridad Ciudadana Police and Fiscalia del Estado de Mexico conducted the arrest of Garzon with the support of U.S. Marshals from the Mexico Foreign Field Office and from the Northern District of New York. 

Ojeda will remain in the custody of Mexican authorities pending formal extradition proceedings from the Republic of Mexico.

Garzon was removed today by Mexico authorities to the U.S. to face the charges against him in Albany County of endangering the welfare of a child and hindering prosecution.  

On Dec. 3, 2019, the Cohoes Police Department and local emergency medical services responded to a Cohoes area apartment for an unresponsive 6-week-old boy.  The child, Eli Ojeda, died at the hospital.

The subsequent investigation and autopsy revealed the baby died of acute methamphetamine toxicity and physical trauma.

As a result, Ojeda, who claimed to be the child’s father, was charged with second-degree murder. Both Ojeda and Garzon were arraigned and later released on bond.

On Aug. 24, 2021, Ojeda failed to appear for a scheduled court appearance and made no notifications to the court regarding his absence.  It was later determined that Ojeda and Garzon fled the area together to avoid prosecution.  The Cohoes Police Department then formally requested the assistance of the U.S. Marshals in the Northern District of New York with locating and apprehending Ojeda and Garzon.

“I want to express my gratitude to the women and men of the United States Marshals Services (USMS) Mexico Foreign Field Office and the Interpol-Mexico Office for their tireless effort in apprehending Anthony Ojeda, a dangerous fugitive on the USMS 15 Most Wanted list,” said Ronald Davis, USMS Director. “The level of collaboration and coordination at the local, state, federal and international level on this case makes clear that the USMS and our partners will bring to justice dangerous fugitives no matter where they may hide.”

“We are incredibly thankful to members of the community and our partners across law enforcement spanning two countries who assisted us in capturing this dangerous offender wanted for murder,” said David McNulty, U.S. Marshal for the Northern District of New York.

The USMS credits INTERPOL-Mexico, Instituto Nacional de Migracion (INM), CDMX Secretaria de Seguridad Ciudadana Police and Fiscalia del Estado de Mexico for their critical assistance. During this investigation, the U.S. Marshals partnered with INTERPOL-Mexico, the Cohoes Police Department, the New York State Police, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York, and the Albany County District Attorney’s Office. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance.

U.S. Marshals work with the international law enforcement community to apprehend fugitives abroad as well as to seek foreign fugitives living or residing in the United States. The Marshals protect the public from international fugitives through coordinated enforcement efforts with foreign and domestic law enforcement. 

The USMS 15 Most Wanted 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 more than 86,000 warrants in FY 2023.   

Source: US Marshals Service