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For Immediate Release |
Contact: |
| January 28, 2009 |
William L. Taylor, Supervisory Deputy Southern District of Ohio (937) 225-2917 |
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Wanted Suspected Drug Dealer Caught on Warrant with $125,000 Cash |
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United States Marshal for the Southern District
of Ohio James M. Wahlrab announces the arrest of Nelson B. Crawford, a
fugitive wanted by the Eastern District of Missouri since February 18, 1999
and by the Central District of California since 2001. On February 18, 1999, a warrant for the arrest of Nelson B. Crawford was issued by the Federal Court in St. Louis, Missouri. In 2001, a Federal Grand Jury in Los Angeles, California indicted Crawford for conspiracy to import cocaine and for importing cocaine into the United States. Crawford, who was known to have ties to the Dayton, Ohio area, had been the subject of numerous surveillances and investigations over the past 10 years. Deputy U.S. Marshals had also followed up leads from the border states to the Midwest, but no sign of Crawford was ever found. Deputy Marshals in Dayton, Ohio recently learned that a relative of Crawford had become gravely ill and new surveillances were begun and contacts were made in the Centerville, Ohio area. Crawford was confirmed as having visited with his ailing relative and a plan was put into place to apprehend him the next time he paid a visit. On 01/28/09, information was received that Crawford was at the medical facility visiting his relative and immediately notifications were made to the Centerville Police Department and to the deputy marshals assigned to the case. A 2003 truck operated by Crawford was located and a felony traffic stop was performed. Initially, Crawford attempted to use fictitious his out of state driver’s license to convince law enforcement that he was not who they thought he was. Eventually when he learned he was being taken into custody he admitted that he was the person wanted in the warrant. Crawford was transported to the Marshals holding facility. While there, it was learned that Crawford had been staying at a local hotel. Based on Crawford’s history of drug dealing it was decided that a search of the room was going to be conducted. Once at the hotel, investigators uncovered approximately $125,000 in United States Currency. The money, believed to be profits from drug dealing, will be requested for forfeiture. Crawford will appear in front of the Federal Magistrate in Dayton, Ohio on 01/29/08. Marshal Wahlrab would like to commend the members of the Centerville Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, Warren County Drug Task force and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, who while working in conjunction with each other, were able to remove yet another wanted person from the streets. The U.S. Marshals Service is America’s first federal law enforcement agency and each year arrests more fugitives than all other federal law enforcement agencies combined. |