“AMERICA’S MOST WANTED” AND OPRAH WINFREY
CHILD SEXUAL PREDATOR FUGITIVE, DAVID SPRONG JR., CAPTURED BY U.S.
MARSHALS, FBI, AND LIVINGSTON PARISH LOUISIANA SHERIFF’S OFFICE
On the afternoon of
February 22, 2007, the Eastern District of Louisiana U.S. Marshals
Crescent Star Fugitive Task Force (CSFTF), with assistance from the
FBI New Orleans Field Division and the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s
Office, arrested David John Sprong Jr., 47 years old, at A to Z Auto
Auction L.L.C. in Holden, Louisiana without incident.
David Sprong, who is a convicted felon and registered sex offender,
jumped bail in March of 2006, in Sacramento, California on pending
child molestation charges. The charges allegedly involve multiple
molestation counts on female minors. He was out on a million dollar
bond when he failed to show for a pre-trail hearing. A warrant was
issued for his arrest and the Sacramento, California Sheriff’s
Office began an investigation to determine his whereabouts. It was
determined that Sprong had fled the state. The FBI in Sacramento,
California obtained a federal warrant for Sprong for unlawful flight
to avoid prosecution. The U.S. Marshals office in Sacramento,
California also provided intelligence to the CSFTF that furthered
the case.
Investigators believe that Sprong first went to the Houston, Texas
area where he opened an auto repair business in Humble, Texas.
Sprong is also believed to have employed teenagers at the repair
shop and may have attempted to touch them in an inappropriate
manner. He left the Humble, Texas area in January 2007.
Several days ago the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office located an
abandoned Infiniti SUV in a bar parking lot in Hammond, Louisiana
and determined it was associated with Sprong. The U.S. Marshals
Service Middle District of Louisiana and the Tangipahoa Sheriff’s
Office began a fugitive investigation and developed critical
information that led investigators to the A to Z Auto Auction.
Sprong was working as a mechanic under the alias of Thomas Turner
and had been employed there for about three weeks. He was booked
into the Livingston Parish jail and will await extradition
proceedings back to Sacramento, California.
Sprong has been featured on three occasions on FOX television's
“America’s Most Wanted.” He has also been profiled on the “Oprah
Winfrey Show” and placed on her child sexual predator watch list.
Ms. Winfrey was offering a large reward of her own to any citizen
that provided information that led to his arrest.
Acting EDLA U.S. Marshal Roxanna Irwin stated, “I would like to
thank “America’s Most Wanted” and Ms. Winfrey for turning up the
heat on this fugitive and generating many of our investigative
leads. AMW and Ms. Winfrey’s commitment to public safety combined
with the dedication and team work of all of the law enforcement
community removed this sexual predator from our communities.” |