U.S. Marshals Violent Fugitive Task Force Wraps Up Three Felons in Three Hours

ANDALUSIA, AL -The U.S. Marshals North Florida Violent Fugitive Task Force apprehended two felons wanted by Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and directed the arrest of another man wanted in Escambia County who was located in Arkansas. David Andrew Steele, wanted for Aggravated Battery with a Deadly Weapon was captured last night by the Marshals and task force deputies from Okaloosa and Escambia Counties as well as members the from Ft. Walton Beach Police Department. It was at 8:30 when the Task Force knocked on the door of the house secluded at the end of No Name Road in Andalusia. Steele, 24, was seen by a deputy in the house and tried to flee to a back room after they knocked. Deputies quickly arrested him without further incident. The Task Force originally tried to catch him in the northern end of Okaloosa County when the warrant was originally issued. The charges allege that Steel stabbed another man multiple times after an altercation. The weapon was never recovered. Alan Christian Mansfield, 58, who is wanted for Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Sell in Okaloosa, was apprehended without incident shortly afterwards at 216 W. Hart Street in Opp, Alabama. Both were transported to the Covington County Jail in Andalusia and will await extradition back to Okaloosa County to face the charges. Prior to both arrests, the Task Force had requested assistance from the Covington County Sheriff’s Office and the City of Andalusia Police.

“The Sheriff’s Office in Covington went above and beyond what we expected,” said Dominic Guadagnoli Task Force Coordinator for the Marshals Task Force. “We were honored when the Sheriff himself came out to help and offered us anything we needed,” said Guadagnoli.

Tom Miller, Supervisor for the Marshals’ Office in Pensacola added “…It’s that type of dedication and support from local agencies that helps make a task force successful.”

Another fugitive, William Keith Motes, 41, who had dubbed himself “Billy the Kid” had taunted the Task Force and Escambia County Sheriff’s Office who had been trying to locate him for several weeks. Motes wanted on several charges for Assault, Failure to Appear on a Domestic Violence charge, Burglary, Intimidation and Aggravated Stalking; was located in Emmett, Arkansas after the Escambia Sheriff’s Office received a vague Crime Stopper’s Tip. As the Task Force was trying to narrow down exactly where he was, they received another tip to his exact location. Deputies from Escambia County coordinated Motes’ apprehension with the Sheriff’s Office from Nevada County Arkansas. Shortly thereafter, Motes was captured while he slept in a home on East First Street in Emmett. Motes is in the Nevada County Jail awaiting his extradition back to Escambia.