Middle Louisiana Fugitive Task Force Investigators used tips from callers who saw AMW and the Crime Stoppers “wanted posters” to end Stephens’ almost six year run. He was found hiding in a camper trailer on a family member’s property on Carl Hodges Road. The MLFTF, along with members of the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office Special Response Team, converged on the property and arrested Stephens. Stephens refused to come out of the trailer and resisted officers during the arrest. Stephens had been the target of a major investigation led by the US Marshals Middle Louisiana Fugitive Task Force and the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office since he fled sometime before his December 17, 2002 trial date. Stephens was scheduled to face charges of Aggravated Rape, Aggravated Oral Sexual Battery, and two counts of Indecent Behavior with a Juvenile. Stephens is alleged to have committed these offenses against two separate, unrelated minor victims on multiple occasions. Stephens was booked into the Livingston Parish Jail awaiting transfer to Ascension Parish.

The Middle Louisiana Fugitive Task Force, coordinated by the US Marshals Service, is a multi-agency task force that targets persons wanted for violent crimes, narcotic offenses, and sex offenders in the Capitol area and surrounding Parishes. Participating agencies are the Baton Rouge Police Department, East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, the Louisiana State Police, and the Louisiana State Probation and Parole. For more information about the US Marshals Service, visit http://www.usmarshals.gov/district/la-m/index.html.
 

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