U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force Arrests Broward County Attempted Murder Suspect at Tallahassee Apartment Complex

Tallahassee, FL – The US Marshals Florida Regional Fugitive Task Force (FRFTF) today announced the arrest of 33 year old Ronell Octavius Gillins of Miramar, Florida at an apartment complex located at 2616 Mission Road in Tallahassee, FL. Gillins was currently being sought by the Broward County Sheriff’s Office in Miramar, FL on charges of Attempted 1s Degree Murder. According to Broward County Detectives, Gillins was involved in a physical altercation with his pregnant fiancé, Tameka Francis, on 03/31/2012 in Miramar, FL in which Gillins is alleged to have choked and then slammed the victims head against a vehicle. Later that same day the victim of the domestic dispute was walking with her brother, Glenroy Dunn, when both were confronted by Gillins. According to information provided by investigators, Gillins fired one shot from a handgun striking Glenroy Dunn in his abdomen and then turned the gun towards his fiancé. As the two victims attempted to retreat to their residence, Gillins was observed running from the area and then fleeing in an unknown vehicle. Early this morning FRFTF Task Force members received information from the US Marshals task force in Ft. Lauderdale that Gillins had possibly fled South Florida and was staying with a family member in Tallahassee. FRFTF members discovered that Gillins had a nephew currently residing at the Stratford Landings Apartment Complex and established surveillance on the apartment early this morning. At approximately 8:30AM FRFTF members along with marked Leon County Sheriff’s Office deputies surrounded the residence and called Gillins out of the apartment where he was arrested without incident. Gillins was then transported to the Leon County Jail and booked in on his outstanding Broward County charge.

The Tallahassee Division of the FRFTF is comprised of state and local 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 Ed Spooner stated that the arrest of Ronell Gillins showcased the ability of federal, state and local law enforcement officers who currently work under the authority of the US Marshals Florida Regional Fugitive Task Force to quickly locate and safely apprehend violent fugitives who are on the run and hiding out in the North Florida area.

Additional information about the U.S. Marshals Service can be found at USmarshals.gov.

U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force Arrests Alabama Fugitive

Tallahassee, FL - The U.S. Marshals Florida Regional Fugitive Task Force (FRFTF) today announced the arrest of thirty year old Marquez Cornelius Vaughn of Opelika, Alabama at an apartment complex located at 1112 South Magnolia Drive in Tallahassee, FL. Vaughn was currently being sought by the Opelika Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force in Montgomery, Alabama on charges of 1st Degree Robbery and 2nd Degree Assault. According to Alabama authorities, Vaughn was involved in an Armed Robbery on June 19, 2011 in which Vaughn is alleged to have shot the victim in the leg before taking approximately four hundred dollars in cash as well as the victim's cellular phone. Alabama authorities also advised that Vaughn had previously fired shots at Opelika Police Officers during a prior arrest which prompted Vaughn's listing as Armed and Dangerous.

Investigation by Opelika PD and U.S. Marshals indicated that Vaughn fled Alabama shortly after the shooting to the Tallahassee, Florida area where he was located hiding with a relative at the Tally Terrace apartment complex. FRFTF members entered the apartment during an early morning operation and first located two sleeping juveniles on the ground floor of the two story apartment. FRFTF evacuated the two females prior to confronting Vaughn who was located asleep in an upstairs bedroom where he was arrested without incident. Vaughn initially told task force officers that he thought he was dreaming when he awoke to find a room full of US Marshals armed with rifles and ballistic shields standing over his bed. Vaughn was transported to the Leon County Jail by task force members and is currently awaiting an extradition hearing which will send him back to Alabama to face his 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.

U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force Locates Fugitive Hiding Beneath Baby

Tallahassee, FL – The U.S. Marshals Florida Regional Fugitive Task Force (FRFTF) has found violent fugitives hiding in every conceivable way; underneath clothes in the closet, in attic crawl spaces, inside the trunks of cars, walls, clothes dressers and yes even inside refrigerators. However, when members of the FRFTF responded to 509 Magnolia Drive this morning in an attempt to locate Deon Dorsey, Dorsey added a new wrinkle to what these fugitive investigators have seen. Deon Dorsey, a 20 year old citizen of Tallahassee, was currently being sought by the Tallahassee Police Department on charges of Domestic Battery by Strangulation. Dorsey was also being sought by the Florida Department of Corrections for violating his probation in Pinellas County, Florida for a conviction of Battery and Trespassing. According to the Tallahassee Police Department, TPD Officers responded to a 911 call at 306 White Drive on May 7, 2011 in which Dorsey was identified as the suspect in a domestic battery where he is alleged to have attempted to strangle the victim.

Investigation by TPD Task Force Officers assigned to the US Marshals task force indicated that Dorsey was currently staying in an apartment at 509 Magnolia Drive. Task Force Officers responded to this address early this morning and located Dorsey hiding beneath a bed mattress with a small child lying over his hiding spot. According to Task Force Officers, Dorsey wedged himself between the wall and the box springs of the mattress and then had the mattress slid over his hiding spot with the child placed directly over his body. Task Force Officers became suspicious of Dorsey’s hiding spot during a search of the residence and first removed the small child from the room prior to confronting Dorsey. Dorsey was then pulled from his hideout by multiple officers before being handcuffed and transported to the Leon County Jail where he awaits first appearance. Task Force members also arrested Dorsey’s current girlfriend, Maydreona Miles, for Obstruction of Justice after Miles repeatedly stated to officers that Dorsey was not inside the residence.

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.