Category: US Marshals Service

Lima, OH – The U.S. Marshals’ Southern Ohio Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team (SOFAST) and Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force (NOVFTF) along with deputies and officers from the West Central Ohio Crime Task Force arrested fugitive Carl Mollett in Lima, Ohio on July 28, 2023. Mollett had an arrest warrant held by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office charging him with Gross Sexual Imposition. Once it was confirmed Mollett was inside the residence, assistance was requested from the Allen County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team to safely take him into custody. Mollett has been booked into the Allen County Jail and now awaits his court appearance and future extradition back to Franklin County.

U.S. Marshals SOFAST is a multi-jurisdictional task force comprised of the Dayton Police Department, Ohio Adult Parole Authority, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, Springfield Police Department, Greene County Prosecutor’s Office, Miami County Sheriff’s Office, Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office, Perry Township Police Department, Springboro Police Department, Franklin Police Department, United States Secret Service, Warren County Sheriff’s Office, West Carrollton Police Department, and the Xenia Police Department. The U.S. Marshals Service is the nation’s primary fugitive hunting organization and captures more federal fugitives each year than all other law enforcement agencies combined. 

Lima, OH – Today, the U.S. Marshals’ Southern Ohio Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team (SOFAST) and Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force (NOVFTF) along with deputies and officers from the West Central Ohio Crime Task Force arrested fugitive Carl Mollett in Lima, Ohio. Mollett had an arrest warrant held by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office charging him with Gross Sexual Imposition.

Task force members had developed information that Mollett was residing at a residence in the 4900 block of NE 14th Street in Des Moines. Upon initial contact with officers at the residence, Mollett barricaded himself inside. At that time, assistance was requested from the Allen County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team to safely take him into custody. Mollett has been booked into the Allen County Jail and now awaits his court appearance and future extradition back to Franklin County.

U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott stated, “The safety of the community is the upmost concern of our task force when we are attempting to arrest fugitives. Today, a collaborative effort between federal and local law enforcement resulted in the arrest of this fugitive.”

Anyone with information concerning a wanted fugitive can contact the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force at 1-866-4WANTED (1-866-492-6833), or you can submit a USMS web tip. Reward money is available, and tipsters may remain anonymous. Follow the U.S. Marshals on Twitter @USMSCleveland.

The NOVFTF Toledo Division consists of the following federal, state and local agencies: The United States Marshals Service, Lucas County Sheriff’s Office, Ohio Adult Parole Authority, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Toledo Police Department, Ohio State Highway Patrol, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Wood County Sheriff’s Office.   

Portland/Bangor, ME – The U.S. Marshals Service in Maine is alerting the public of a phone scam involving individuals claiming to be U.S. Marshals or other Federal Officials.

During these calls, scammers are “spoofing” actual U.S. Marshals office phone numbers attempting to fraudulently collect money or suffer legal consequences. The scammers claim potential victims need to “pay a fine or post bond” or face being arrested, losing their property, banking accounts or other consequences.

The scammers use many convincing tactics such as, citing publicly available information of prospective victims, which may include old residential addresses and phone numbers to appear credible. They may also provide fictitious information such as law enforcement badge and case numbers, names of actual law enforcement officials to further appear legitimate.

Scammers may also spoof their phone numbers to appear on caller IDs as if they are calling from a government agency such as the U.S. Marshals Service.

The U.S. Marshals Service urges the public to be vigilant if you receive any calls of this nature and contact the agency in question by calling them directly from verified official websites to authenticate the information. If you believe you were a victim of such a scam, you are encouraged to report the incident to your local FBI office and to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

Things to remember:

• U.S. MARSHALS WILL NEVER ask for credit/debit card/gift card numbers, wire transfers, or 
  bank routing numbers for any purpose.
• NEVER divulge personal or financial information to unknown callers.
• Report scam phone calls to your local FBI office and to the FTC.
• You can remain anonymous when you report.

The U.S. Marshals Service urges individuals not to divulge personal or financial information to unknown callers and highly recommends the public report similar crimes to their local police departments. If you believe you are a victim of fraud, report the incident through the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov. Also, you should report online, business, or phone scams to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) immediately at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov

Youngstown, OH – The Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force (NOVFTF) is offering up to a

$2,500 reward for information which would lead to the capture of fugitive Keith Franklin.

Franklin is wanted by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Campbell Police Department for two counts of felonious assault, having weapons while under disability, and discharging a firearm within city limits.

On August 6, 2023, Franklin was involved in an incident where he shot one victim and viciously beat another, both victims sustained serious physical injury.

Franklin is described as a black male, standing 6 feet tall and weighing approximately 155 pounds.  He is 31 years old.

If you have any information in reference to Keith Franklin, contact the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force at 1-866-4WANTED (1-866-492-6833), or you can submit a web tip. Reward money is available, and tipsters may remain anonymous.  

Follow the U.S. Marshals on Twitter @USMSCleveland.

Denver, CO – The U.S. Marshals in the District of Colorado and the FBI are asking for the public’s help and offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest of a man who escaped along with three other men in late July from the Bent County Jail about 200 miles south of Denver.

Mark Desmond Fox, 46, is wanted for the following charges:

• One count of escape (Colorado Section 18-8-208);
• One count of conspiracy to commit crop insurance fraud (18 USC 1014);
• One count of making a false statement to obstruct a federal criminal investigation (18 USC 1519);
• Two counts of extortion by use of mail (18 USC 876(d));
• One count of attempting to influence a grand jury witness’s testimony (18 USC 1512(b)(1));Two counts of attempt to obstruct an official proceeding (18 USC 1512(c)(2)).

Two of the escapees were caught and returned to on custody Aug. 1. A third was found dead of a suspected drug overdose in Pueblo County.

Fox is a white male, bald, stands 6 feet 3 inches and weighs approximately 175 pounds. He should be considered dangerous. Anyone with information as to his whereabouts should contact the U.S. Marshals at 1-877-WANTED2 or submit information via the USMS Tips App.  

The Colorado Violent Offender Task Force is a multi-jurisdictional fugitive task force that targets the most violent offenders to include those wanted for murder, assault, sex offenses, and other serious offenses throughout the state and country.

Nationally, the U.S. Marshals Service fugitive programs are carried out with local law enforcement in 94 district offices, 85 local fugitive task forces, eight regional task forces, as well as a growing network of offices in foreign countries.

Martinsburg, WV – The U.S. Marshals Service recovered a missing West Virginia child in Tampa, Florida, and arrested the fugitive wanted in connection with the child’s disappearance.  

An arrest warrant was issued July 17th for a West Virginia woman for felony kidnapping and child concealment related to a child not being returned to its legal guardian.  As soon as the warrant was issued, the West Virginia State Police requested the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Mountain State Fugitive Task Force in locating the woman and recovering the missing child.  

Upon receipt of this case, task force members developed information that the fugitive was in the Tampa area and sent a collateral lead to the U.S. Marshals Middle District of Florida – Tampa office.  U.S. Marshals Service investigators from the Middle District of Florida and the Florida/Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task force arrested the fugitive in the 300 block of Windwood Drive without incident. The missing child was also safely recovered at this location.  

“Any time we get a case involving a missing child, that case goes straight to the top of the priority list,” said Terry Moore, acting U.S. Marshal for the Northern District of West Virginia. 
“I’m extremely proud of our investigators from West Virginia and Florida who worked together in recovering this child and apprehending the person responsible for the child’s disappearance.”

Since 2015, the U.S. Marshals Service has recovered more than 2,300 missing children. The Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015 enhanced the U.S. Marshals’ authority to assist federal, state and local law enforcement with the recovery of missing, endangered or abducted children, regardless of whether a fugitive or sex offender was involved. The Marshals established a Missing Child Unit to oversee and manage the implementation of its enhanced authority under the act. 

Additional information on this case may be obtained from the West Virginia State Police in Martinsburg.

Jackson, TN – On August 2, 2023, the U.S. Marshals Two Rivers Violent Fugitive Task Force (TRVFTF) in Jackson captured Marquila Rollins, 39, of Jackson, TN, who was wanted for Carjacking and Aggravated Robbery in Memphis, TN.

On February 11, 2023, the victim driver reported to Memphis police that Rollins was a passenger in her vehicle. Rollins wanted to go to Jackson. When the driver refused, Rollins allegedly forced the driver from a Chevy Tahoe and took the vehicle. On February 17th, an arrest warrant was issued for Collins. The case was adopted by the U.S. Marshals Task Force and investigated in conjunction with the Memphis Police Department Fugitive Apprehension Unit.

On August 2nd, U.S. Marshals captured Rollins at her residence on Lincoln Circle in Jackson. She was transported to the Madison County Jail.

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 County Sheriff’s Deputies, Memphis Police Officers, Fayette County Sheriff’s Deputies, Jackson Police Officers, and the Tennessee Department of Corrections Special Agents. The primary mission of the Task Force is to arrest violent offenders and sexual predators.

Jackson, TN – On August 10, 2023, Jeraldo Ascencio Pacheco, 23, of Crockett County, TN, was captured at the Texas-Mexico border after an investigation by U.S. Marshals and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Pacheco was wanted by the Jackson Police Department (JPD) for two counts of Aggravated Assault and Especially Aggravated Robbery.

On April 14th, Jackson police responded to a call at Camelia Trace Apartments where a male and female were shot during a violent incident. Jackson investigators developed information that Jeraldo Ascencio Pacheco was responsible for these crimes. On April 19th, JPD issued warrants for Pacheco’s arrest. JPD then requested assistance from the U.S. Marshals Two Rivers Violent Fugitive Task Force to locate and apprehend Pacheco. Once it was determined that Pacheco had fled the United States, U.S. Marshals partnered with CBP.

Around 7 a.m. on August 10th, Pacheco was arrested at the Laredo, Texas Port of Entry by CBP Officers while attempting to enter back into the United States from Mexico. Pacheco was turned over to the Webb County Sheriff’s Office in Laredo. He will remain in the Webb County Jail as he awaits extradition back to Tennessee to face charges.

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 County Sheriff’s Deputies, Memphis Police Officers, Fayette County Sheriff’s Deputies, Jackson Police Officers, and the Tennessee Department of Corrections Special Agents. The primary mission of the Task Force is to arrest violent offenders and sexual predators.