FUGITIVE SEXUAL PREDATOR CAPTURED IN SPRINGFIELD
James M. Wahlrab, United
States Marshal for the Southern District of Ohio announces the
arrest of Terry Thompson. Thompson was wanted by the
Mississippi Department of Corrections for violating his probation
and by the Rankin County (Mississippi) Sheriffs Office for failure
to register as a sexual offender. Thomson was originally charged
with raping a 12 year old child and ultimately convicted of touching
a child for lustful purposes. Thompson received a ten year sentence
with seven of the years suspended. Subsequent to his release,
Thompson violated the conditions of his probation and a warrant for
his arrest was issued in May, 2004. Mississippi law enforcement
officials believe Thompson fled Mississippi to avoid capture.
The Rankin County Sheriffs Office contacted the United States
Marshals Service last December and requested assistance in locating
and capturing Thompson. Due to the severity and nature of his
original offenses, the U.S. Marshals made locating and arresting
Thompson a high priority.
Through investigative leads developed by the U.S. Marshals, it was
confirmed that Thompson fled to Ohio and was residing in the
Springfield area under the false name Terry Thomas. Under immense
pressure from U.S. Marshals, Thompson began running out of places to
hide. At approximately 1030 p.m. this past Thursday evening, U.S.
Marshals located Thompson hiding in a house in the 2000 block of
Gerald Avenue. Thompson was taken into custody by U.S. Marshals and
officers from the Springfield Police Department. Also residing in
the house with Thompson was his girlfriend and her infant child. The
girlfriend informed Marshals that Thompson had never told her about
his criminal past or his status as a sexual predator. Thompson was
transported to the Clark County Jail where he is awaiting
extradition back to Mississippi.
The U.S. Marshals Service was America’s first federal law
enforcement agency and each year arrests more fugitives than all
other federal law enforcement agencies combined.
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