Fugitive from Jacksonville, TX Arrested in Ohio

Tyler, TX – Kevin Ray Morris, 49, of Jacksonville, Texas was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Task Force in Cleveland, Ohio. Morris has been wanted since October 2013 on sexual offense warrants out of Jacksonville.

The Tyler division of the U.S. Marshals Joint East Texas Fugitive Task Force adopted this fugitive investigation last week. Deputy Marshals from East Texas developed information indicating Morris left the East Texas area and was living in Orwell, Ohio. The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) Task Force in Ohio was contacted and they developed a plan to arrest Morris at his residence.

Morris attempted to evade arrest by riding an ATV into a heavily wooded area, but was quickly apprehended. Morris is now waiting to be extradited back to East Texas to face his charges.

The agencies of the U.S. Marshals Joint East Texas Fugitive Task Force (Tyler Division) that assisted in this investigation include the Tyler Police Department, Texas Department of Criminal Justice - Office of the Inspector General, Smith County District Attorney’s Office, and the USMS.

The primary mission of the Task Force is to arrest violent offenders and sexual predators. In 2013, the Joint East Texas Fugitive Task Force cleared 2,441 cases throughout the Eastern District of Texas.