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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
FOR INFORMATION CONTACT: |
July 15, 2008 |
Southern District of Ohio - Cincinnati
DUSM John Loftis (513) 383-5139;
USMS Headquarters Public Affairs (202) 307-9065 |
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U.S. Marshals SOFAST Task Force Captures
Escaped Fugitive From Georgia |
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Cincinnati, OH – On July 15, 2008, James
M. Wahlrab, United States Marshal for the Southern District of Ohio (S/OH),
announced the capture of fugitive Josh Dale Pointer (age 19) by the Southern
Ohio Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team (SOFAST). Pointer escaped from the
Hart County Jail in Hartwell, Georgia this past Sunday night (July 13, 2008)
while facing prosecution for numerous burglaries. Pointer was temporarily
being held at the Hart County Jail while serving a 20 year sentence at the
Washington State Prison in Davisboro, Georgia for multiple burglary and
motor vehicle theft charges from three different counties in Georgia.
Pointer was able to force his way out of his holding cell and scale a fence
at the jail to make his escape. He is suspected of stealing a vehicle before
fleeing the area. The United States Marshals Service Southeast Regional
Fugitive Task Force (SERFTF) based out of Macon, Georgia began searching for
Pointer. Information was obtained that Pointer may be on his way to the
Cincinnati, Ohio area. On July 15, 2008, SOFAST TFOs began surveillance of a
relative of Pointer’s in Fairfield, Ohio and within a short time observed
Pointer pull up to the residence in the vehicle that was reported stolen
near the jail in Georgia. TFOs immediately surrounded Pointer and placed him
under arrest.
The stolen vehicle that Pointer was observed driving was subsequently
impounded by the Fairfield Police Department. Pointer was transported and
booked into the Butler County Jail where he will await extradition
proceedings to Georgia.
U.S. Marshal James M. Wahlrab states, “The law enforcement community of
Southern Ohio does their best at quickly capturing those individuals that
want to use our community as a safe refuge from justice.” SOFAST is a team
made up of law enforcement officers from the Cincinnati Police Department,
Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, Butler County Sheriff’s Office, Lockland
Police Department, Ohio Adult Parole Authority, Ohio Office of the Inspector
General, Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
Firearms, & Explosives, and the U.S. Marshals Service.”
The U.S. Marshals Service is the nation’s oldest federal law enforcement
agency. U.S. Marshals annually capture more federal fugitives than all other
federal law enforcement agencies combined. |
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