For Immediate Release

Tallahassee, FL – The U.S. Marshals Florida Regional Fugitive Task Force (FRFTF) announces the arrest of two South Florida fugitives and the recovery of two abducted children in the early morning hours of July 16. FRFTF members received an urgent late night call last night from the U.S. Marshals in West Palm Beach in regards to the possible location of two missing juveniles. One year old Jelaysia Gaines and four year old Shamia Frierson were declared Missing Children by Family Abduction by the West Palm Beach Police Department and listed as such by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. According to West Palm Beach Detectives the two children were taken by their non-custodial parent Iraetta Frierson and her boyfriend Matthew Lowe on July 01, 2011. The two fugitives hit the road with children sparking a mulit-jurisdictional manhunt to locate the children and arrest Frierson and Lowe. Frierson was being sought by West Palm Beach authorities for Violation of Probation on an original conviction of Child Neglect and Lowe was being sought for Felony Fleeing and Eluding. Task Force members learned from South Florida investigators that Lowe was in possession of a stolen 2011 Dodge Charger and that the couple was possibly hiding out in the Tallahassee, FL area. At approximately 12am this morning Task Force Officers located the stolen car at the Super 8 Motel, 2801 N. Monroe St, Tallahassee, FL and made entry on the couple’s hideout. As officers entered the room, Lowe attempted to flee through a rear door but was tackled and subdued with a Taser by task force members. Frierson was located in the upper room and arrested without incident. The two children, Jelaysia Gaines and Shamia Frierson, were recovered in good health and turned over to the Florida Department of Children and Families who were called to the scene to assist law enforcement. Lowe and Frierson were transported to the Leon County Jail by task force members to await first appearance and removal back to West Palm Beach on their outstanding charges.

The Tallahassee Division of the FRFTF is comprised of law enforcement officers from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Gadsden County Sheriff’s Office, Leon County Sheriff’s Office, Leon County State Attorney’s Office, Liberty County Sheriff’s Office, Madison County Sheriff’s Office, Perry Police Department, Tallahassee Police Department, Taylor County Sheriff’s Office and the Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office. US Marshal led task forces similar to the Florida Regional Fugitive Task Force arrested over 120,000 state and federal fugitives in 2010.

Additional information about the U.S. Marshals can be found at http://www.usmarshals.gov.

####

America's Oldest Federal Law Enforcement Agency