FUGITIVE CAPTURED

Fugitive Donald Leroy Johnson was arrested February 16, 2007, by Deputy United States Marshals in Miami, Florida. Johnson was originally charged with two counts of Child Molestation in Benton County, Missouri in 2004. He was released on bond in Benton County and the case was later transferred to Hickory County on a change of venue. Johnson subsequently failed to appear in court in Hickory County and an arrest warrant was issued to bring him to Justice.

On February 14, 2007, the United States Marshal Service International Investigations Branch received information from Agents of the United States Diplomatic Security Service placing Johnson in David, Panama. The United States Marshal Service Southern Missouri Fugitive Task Force was contacted to determine if Benton County still had an active case and Hickory County would extradite Johnson from Florida if he were located. The Benton County Prosecuting Attorney’s office confirmed the case was still active and provided documents necessary for the arrest. The Hickory County Sheriff’s office advised that if Johnson were located and returned to Miami they would extradite him.

On February 16, 2007, after an intensive investigation by all agencies involved, Johnson was arrested by Panamanian Immigration Officers in coordination with United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Officers in Panama as he attempted to illegally cross the Panamanian border into Costa Rica. Johnson was ordered deported from Panama and was escorted on his flight from Panama to Miami by two Deputy United States Marshals from the Southern District of Florida. When the flight arrived in Miami, Johnson was arrested by the Deputies and booked in the Dade County Florida jail to await extradition to Hickory County, Missouri. This arrest was made possible by excellent cooperation between the United States Marshals Service International Investigations Branch, Western District of Missouri, Southern District of Florida, United States State Department Diplomatic Security Service, Benton County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Hickory County Sheriff’s Department, United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Panamanian Immigration Service. “The apprehension of Donald Johnson was truly a cooperative effort, and speaks volumes of what is possible when federal, state and local authorities work together,” said U. S. Marshal Mauri Sheer.

Annually, investigations carried out by the U.S. Marshals result in the apprehension of approximately 34,000 federal fugitives. More federal fugitives are arrested by the Marshals than all other federal agencies combined.

The Southern Missouri Fugitive Task Force is a team comprised of law enforcement officers from U.S. Marshal Service, Missouri Department of Corrections, and Greene County Sheriff’s Department. The task force objective is to seek out and arrest violent felons. Last year, U.S. Marshals task forces arrested more than 27,000 state and local fugitives on felony charges.

Additional information about the U.S. Marshals can be found at http://www.usmarshals.gov.