FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
FOR INFORMATION CONTACT: |
February 15, 2008 |
U.S. Marshal Jesse Seroyer
334-223-7401 |
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US MARSHALS CAPTURE FEDERAL PRISON
ESCAPEE
AFTER SEVEN YEARS ON THE RUN |
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Carlos Vargas was captured by Deputy US
Marshals today in Newton, North Carolina. In June of 2001 Vargas
escaped from Maxwell Air Force Base federal prison camp located in
Montgomery, AL where he was sentenced to serve a four year prison
sentence for drug trafficking. Vargas escaped and fled to Reynosa,
Mexico after serving only two months of the sentence.
The United States Marshals Service, Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive
Task Force located in Montgomery, AL along with the US Immigration
and Customs Service developed information that Vargas had left
Reynosa, Mexico, was living under an alias in Granite Falls, NC, and
operating a fresh produce business in that area. Based upon this
information Deputy US Marshals in Charlotte, NC were able to
determine that Vargas was working in Newton, NC and frequenting
businesses in the area. Deputy US Marshals approached Vargas and
arrested him without incident Friday afternoon.
“This is another example of outstanding investigative work”, said
U.S. Marshal Seroyer. “This fugitive escaped approximately seven
years ago, fled to another Country, changed his identity and
returned to the United States. Our investigators never quit working
on him and they finally got a break several weeks ago. After
determining Vargas’s new identity we located him in a small town in
North Carolina. We forwarded that information to the Marshals in
Charlotte. They were able to take him into custody safely. He seemed
very surprised when the Marshals approached him and called him by
his real name,” added U.S. Marshal Seroyer.
Carlos Vargas will be returned to the Middle District of Alabama
where he is charged with escape. U.S. Marshals are continuing to
investigate Vargas’s activity in NC and additional charges may be
brought in Charlotte.
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