FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FOR INFORMATION CONTACT: February 15, 2008 U.S. Marshal Jesse Seroyer 334-223-7401   US MARSHALS CAPTURE FEDERAL PRISON ESCAPEE AFTER SEVEN YEARS ON THE RUN   Carlos Vargas was captured by Deputy US Marshals today in Newton, North Carolina. In June of 2001 Vargas escaped from Maxwell Air Force Base federal prison camp located in Montgomery, AL where he was sentenced to serve a four year prison sentence for drug trafficking. Vargas escaped and fled to Reynosa, Mexico after serving only two months of the sentence. The United States Marshals Service, Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force located in Montgomery, AL along with the US Immigration and Customs Service developed information that Vargas had left Reynosa, Mexico, was living under an alias in Granite Falls, NC, and operating a fresh produce business in that area. Based upon this information Deputy US Marshals in Charlotte, NC were able to determine that Vargas was working in Newton, NC and frequenting businesses in the area. Deputy US Marshals approached Vargas and arrested him without incident Friday afternoon. “This is another example of outstanding investigative work”, said U.S. Marshal Seroyer. “This fugitive escaped approximately seven years ago, fled to another Country, changed his identity and returned to the United States. Our investigators never quit working on him and they finally got a break several weeks ago. After determining Vargas’s new identity we located him in a small town in North Carolina. We forwarded that information to the Marshals in Charlotte. They were able to take him into custody safely. He seemed very surprised when the Marshals approached him and called him by his real name,” added U.S. Marshal Seroyer. Carlos Vargas will be returned to the Middle District of Alabama where he is charged with escape. U.S. Marshals are continuing to investigate Vargas’s activity in NC and additional charges may be brought in Charlotte.