U.S. Marshals Arrest Sixty Year Old Man for Rape of a Minor

February 11, 2010 - Albuquerque, NM – Deputies from the U. S. Marshals Service arrested Michael A. Lyons, 60, in Cuba, NM after a thirty minute armed standoff. On November 25, 2009, a warrant was issued for Lyons after he was charged with Criminal Sexual Penetration of a minor. Lyons has been accused of raping a three year old girl.

Lyons fled the Albuquerque area after being interviewed by Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office investigators regarding the alleged crime.

The United States Marshal Service developed leads as to the whereabouts of Lyons and the investigation took Deputies all over the state of New Mexico. Deputy Marshals along with New Mexico State Police officers developed leads that Lyons may be hiding out on a ranch in Cuba, NM. As Deputies approached the location, Lyons stepped out on the porch, brandished a firearm, and threatened to kill himself. After thirty minutes of intense negotiations, Deputies convinced Lyons to surrender peacefully.

Gorden E. Eden, United States Marshal for the District of New Mexico, said “The Marshal Service has had an outstanding relationship with the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office for over seven years and the sheriffs were one of the first members of our fugitive task force. We have arrested hundreds of fugitives with the support of the sheriff’s department.” Lyons was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center.

Annually, investigations carried out by the U.S. Marshals result in the apprehension of approximately 34,000 federal fugitives. More federal fugitives are arrested by Marshals than all other federal agencies combined.

The Southwest Investigative Fugitive Team is a team comprised of law enforcement officers from New Mexico State Police; New Mexico Department of Corrections; Dona Ana County Sheriff’s Office; Las Cruces Police Department; Albuquerque Police Department; Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office; Rio Rancho Police Department; Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office; Santa Fe Police Department; and the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office. The task force objective is to seek out and arrest all Violent Offenders. Last year, U.S. Marshals task forces arrested more than 27,000 state and local fugitives on felony charges.