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FOR INFORMATION CONTACT: |
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March 3, 2008
United States Marshals Service
Western District of Tennessee |
Deputy U.S. Marshal/
PIO Stephanie Creasy
(901) 544-0906 or (901) 544-3304
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U. S. Marshals Service Task Force
Send Message to Sexual Offenders – “You are now the prey.”
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The United States Marshals Service Mid-South Fugitive Task Force (MSFTF)
wants to send a message to predatory fugitives – your predatory days
are numbered because the MSFTF is looking for you! Since November,
2007 the MSFTF has located and apprehended 42 local predatory
fugitives wanted for sex crimes. Twenty three of these predatory
fugitives were wanted for violations of the Sexual Offender Registry
while seven were wanted for Rape of a Child, five for Aggravated
Sexual Battery, three for Sexual Battery, two for Rape, and the
additional two for Aggravated Statutory Rape, and Sexual Battery by
an Authority Figure. In addition, to their other charges, two of
these offenders were also wanted for incest.
The latest MSFTF predatory fugitive arrest occurred on Wednesday,
February 27, 2008 when Ricky Johnson AKA Ricky Myles was arrested in
Kenner, LA by the U.S. Marshals Crescent Star Fugitive Task Force (CSFTF)
out of New Orleans. The CSFTF is similar to the MSFTF. Johnson had
been wanted out of Shelby County for Rape of Child since February 4,
1994. The MSFTF adopted the case and located Johnson living under
the alias of Ricky Myles. The MSFTF contacted the CSFTF who arrested
Johnson at a used car lot he was operating in Kenner, LA. Johnson’s
fourteen year run was effectively ended while Johnson’s employee and
Johnson’s wife were also arrested on unrelated outstanding warrants.
“The recent abductions and murders of Meredith Emerson and Briana
Denison strongly emphasize the need to keep the pressure on sexual
offenders. It seems a new such abduction/murder appears on the
national news every few days. It is incumbent on us in the law
enforcement community, to pursue the predators with all our
collective energy,” David G. Jolley, U.S. Marshal for the Western
District of Tennessee was quoted as saying.
Emerson, 24, was abducted while hiking in northern Georgia and
murdered. Denison, a 19-year-old college student, was abducted on
January 20 in Reno, Nevada. Her body was found on February 15 and
police are looking for a serial rapist in connection with her
murder.
The above count of sex offender arrests does not include the arrest
of convicted child pornographer Steven Yurick on November 8, 2007.
Yurick was convicted of child pornography charges in U.S. District
Court in 2004 and sentenced to 140 months in federal prison. Out on
bond, he was to self-report to prison, but instead faked his death
and went into hiding. The U.S. Marshals didn’t buy into the story of
his “death.” He was captured in Bethel Springs, TN.
The arrests of these sexual offenders are in addition to the MSFTF
arrests of other violent offenders. During this same period of time,
the MSFTF has also made seven arrests for attempted murder, two for
first degree murder which includes the arrest of Gary Bohanon in
Indianapolis, IN, five for aggravated assault, seven for
robbery/aggravated robbery, and three for aggravated kidnapping, to
go with a variety of other violent offenses.
The Mid-South Fugitive Task Force and Tennessee Bureau of
Investigation also requests the public’s help in locating father and
son fugitives, Winfred and Akeem-Abou Scott. They are charged in
Memphis with Rape of a Child and have been wanted since July 14,
2004 after they fled Memphis during the investigation. Both are also
on the TBI Top Ten Most Wanted list. Anyone with information on the
Scotts can call 1-800-TBI-FIND (1-800-824-3463) or the MSFTF at
(901) 544-3304.
The Mid-South Fugitive Task Force is made up of the United States
Marshals and officers from the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office,
Memphis Police Department, and Tennessee Board of Probation and
Parole. The recent focus has been on cases in Memphis and Shelby
County. The MSFTF is in the process of adding a number of officers
from other West Tennessee Sheriffs and Police departments on a
part-time basis. The task force hopes to be able to assist the
outlying jurisdictions in pursuit of their fugitives as well.
The Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 provided the
United Sates Marshals Service with a unique opportunity to work with
local and state counterparts to protect the public from sex
offenders - especially those that prey on our children. U.S. Marshal
David G. Jolley advised “The Mid South Fugitive Task Force is
committed to promoting this protective piece of legislation and will
continue our efforts to rid our community of those that prey on our
most innocent and defenseless members. Our goal is to make the
predator the prey.”
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