Federal Escapee Captured Within Four Hours of Escape

Cleveland, OH – Federal prisoner Ruby Seagraves, age 34, escaped custody from the Bedford Heights City Jail at approximately 11:45 p.m. last night. Seagraves was being held on federal charges of heroin possession since January 2011. The U.S. Marshals Service was immediately notified and responded to the jail to begin the fugitive investigation. The Bedford Heights Jail staff worked with the U.S. Marshals Service to develop information that the fugitive was possibly in a vehicle traveling southbound on I-71. The U.S. Marshals Service then coordinated with their Task Force partners at the Ohio State Highway Patrol in an effort to locate the vehicle.

At approximately 3:00 a.m. this morning, the Ohio State Highway Patrol located the suspect vehicle and conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle in Morrow County, Ohio. The Ohio State Troopers located and arrested Seagraves in the vehicle. Seagraves was transported to the Morrow County Jail to be held until return to the Northern District of Ohio. Another female was also taken into custody during the traffic stop and is being held at the Morrow County Jail pending potential federal charges of aiding an escapee. The U.S. Marshals Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are jointly conducting the escape investigation.

Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal Roberto Robinson stated, “The prompt and effective response of the Bedford Heights City Jail staff, Deputy U.S. Marshals, Task Force Officers and the Ohio State Troopers proved to be the key component in capturing this escapee so quickly.”

Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of a known fugitive is encouraged to contact the U.S. Marshals Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force at: 1-866-4-WANTED. Callers may remain anonymous. The Task Force’s “Dangerous Dozen” fugitives can be viewed at http://www.usmarshals.gov/district/oh-n/fugitives/pdf/dangerous_dozen.pdf, which is updated monthly.

The Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force – Cleveland Division is composed of the following federal, state and local agencies: U.S. Marshals Service, Bratenahl Police Department, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Chagrin Falls Police Department, Cleveland Police Department, Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office, Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority Police Department, Euclid Police Department, Lakewood Police Department, Linndale Village Police Department, Ohio Adult Parole Authority, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Westlake Police Department, Department of Housing and Urban Development – Office of Inspector General, Social Security Administration - Office of Inspector General, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service and the U.S. Secret Service.