ST. TAMMANY PARISH HIGH PRIORITY SEX OFFENDER FUGITIVE SUSPECT ARRESTED BY U.S. MARSHALS GULF COAST REGIONAL FUGITIVE TASK FORCE IN ALABAMA BASED ON CRESCENT STAR FUGITIVE TASK FORCE LEAD

On the early morning of February 18, 2007, the U.S. Marshals Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force (GCRFTF) arrested Francis Eugene Reed Jr., 40 years old, at a residence in Chelsea, Alabama (Shelby County, AL.) without incident. Reed, who had been a fugitive since April of 2006, was wanted by the St. Tammany Sheriff’s Office for two counts of aggravated rape of a juvenile and for two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile. He had been featured several times on Crime Stoppers in the Alexandria, Louisiana area and was a high priority fugitive for the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Investigators believe that the alleged aggravated rapes occurred over an extended period of time in Covington, Louisiana and involved two girls who were about nine and thirteen years old when the incidents began. Reed’s wife was also arrested as part of the investigation and remains incarcerated with the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office.

In January of 2007, the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office contacted the EDLA U.S. Marshals Crescent Star Fugitive Task Force (CSFTF) and requested assistance in locating Reed. During CSFTF’s investigation information was developed that Reed was living in Shelby County, Alabama. A collateral lead was sent to the GCRFTF and they were able to arrest him at a residence where he was living. Reed was doing electrical contractor work in Shelby County on the construction of a new retail complex and was living with other contractors at the residence.

CSFTF, which is sponsored by the EDLA U.S. Marshals office, began in 1999 and relies on the support of state and local law enforcement to assist in its fugitive apprehension mission. The U.S. Marshals Service is the oldest federal law enforcement agency and arrests more federal fugitives per year than all other federal agencies. CSFTF regularly works with Crime Stoppers, The New Orleans based Metropolitan Crime Commission, and “America’s Most Wanted” to further it’s investigative efforts. Currently the U.S. Attorney General has deployed additional assets to CSFTF to assist with post Hurricane Katrina crime in the New Orleans metro area.