U.S. MARSHALS CRESCENT STAR FUGITIVE TASK FORCE FINISHES OFF THE WORK WEEK WITH INVESTIGATIVE EFFORTS THAT LEAD TO MULTIPLE FUGITIVE ARRESTS

On Thursday, November 29, 2007, Tyrone Lacaze, a 21- year old New Orleans native, was arrested in Ferriday, Louisiana by members of the Western District of Louisiana fugitive task force. The arrest was the result of information that the U.S. Marshals Eastern District of Louisiana Crescent Star Fugitive Task Force (CSFTF) developed in New Orleans.

Lacaze was wanted on an Adams County Mississippi warrant charging him with a murder that occurred in the Natchez, MS area on October 22, 2007. Lacaze was also wanted by authorities in Houston, Texas for a murder that occurred in late 2006. In both of the murders, Lacaze was the alleged gunman who executed his victims by shooting them repeatedly. The Adams County victim was shot more than 30 times and the fifteen year old female Houston victim was shot repeatedly in the head. Authorities believe that the 15 year old female victim in Houston was killed because she was a witness in a case that involved either Lacaze or one of his relatives.

The U.S. Marshals Service Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force Gulfport, Mississippi office began working the fugitive investigation and contacted CSFTF for assistance. Information developed by CSFTF in New Orleans indicated that Lacaze might have gone to an address in Ferriday, Louisiana to hide. Investigators from CSFTF believe that their efforts in New Orleans tipped off Lacaze to their pursuit and that he left New Orleans just prior to his arrest in Ferriday. The Ferriday, Louisiana information was forwarded to the U.S. Marshals Western District of Louisiana. Lacaze was arrested by that task force while attempting to hide from law enforcement officers in an attic of a Ferriday apartment complex.

While CSFTF was conducting its investigation in the New Orleans metro area, it also arrested Jervis THOMAS, a 19 year old associate of Lacaze. THOMAS was wanted on an armed robbery warrant out of Orleans Parish for an April 2007 armed robbery that occurred in the 7400 block of Maple St. New Orleans, LA.

On November 27, 2007, CSFTF’s efforts also led to the arrest of Torey McKillion, 30 years old, in Chicago, Illinois by the U.S. Marshals Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force. McKillion was wanted on a New Orleans Police Department warrant charging him with an aggravated rape that occurred in September of 2007.

On November 29, 2007, the task force also arrested Khoi Hoang, 30 years old, on a New Orleans Police Department warrant for simple robbery. At the time of Hoang's arrest he was found in possession of a sizable amount of Ecstasy for which he was charged with possession with intent to distribute Ecstasy. Hoang’s arrest occurred in the 1300 block of Grandeville St. New Orleans East. Hoang, who was under Louisiana parole supervision at the time of this arrest, has a prior convictions for narcotics violations, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of stolen property.

Eastern District of Louisiana U.S. Marshal Michael Credo stated, the U.S. Marshals Service fugitive task force system is working. Law enforcement officers from federal, state, and local agencies across the U.S. are working together to make sure that just because a fugitive runs it does not mean that the case will disappear or end. CSFTF is actively working with agencies across the metro area to reduce the impact and trail of victims that violent fugitives leave behind. So far in 2007, the CSFTF has made 51 arrests of subjects wanted for murder.”

The U.S. Department of Justice has committed additional resources to the task force since Hurricane Katrina as part of the district’s “Operation Debris Removal.” Current task force members include the New Orleans Police Department, Bogalusa Police Department, the Orleans Parish Criminal Sheriff’s Office, St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office, Louisiana Probation and Parole, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), U.S. Border, Patrol, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Services and Social Security OIG. For more information on the U.S. Marshals EDLA CSFTF go to www.usmarshals.gov/district/la-e/news/index.html.