U.S. Marshals Mark 50th Anniversary of the Integration of ‘Ole Miss’

WASHINGTON – On the afternoon of Sunday, Sept. 30, 1962, 127 Deputy U.S. Marshals, 316 federalized border patrol personnel and 97 deputized prison guards, on the orders of then - U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, surrounded the administration building on the campus of the University of Mississippi.

The registration office, known as the “Lyceum,” was a historic, columned building, which in the morning would admit Mr. James Howard Meredith as the institution’s first African-American student. Previous attempts at registration were stopped, as Governor Ross Barnett and other state officials supported segregation.

As evening approached, the crowds around the Lyceum grew. The deputies were dressed in military helmets, vests and armed with tear gas, just in case. The crowds became more aggressive as darkness fell. Bricks and battery acid were hurled at the deputies, followed by buckshot and vehicles, but still the line held.

From inside the Lyceum, deputies and Department of Justice officials communicated with the president and attorney general. Help first came from Mississippi National Guard troops, but their numbers were too few to make a difference. Then at 2 a.m., active duty military forces arrived to relieve the deputies. During the heroic 11 hours on the line, 168 were injured, of which 79 were Deputy U.S. Marshals. Dents from the attacks remain in the Lyceum’s columns to this day.

The deputies stayed at the university after the riot ended until the morning. Meredith, who arrived later, was guarded by another detail of Deputy U.S. Marshals and he registered without incident. Deputies accompanied Meredith during his time at the university until his graduation in August 1963.

Throughout the 223-year history of the U.S. Marshals Service, deputies have carried out their orders no matter how unpopular or how dangerous. 

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

U.S. Marshals Add Convicted Child Predator to 15 Most Wanted

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Marshals Service added a convicted child predator to its 15 Most Wanted fugitive list today.

Clyde Hall Jr., a career sex offender, who is wanted in the Northern District of New York for violation of federal supervised release, failed to report to a halfway house in New York after serving a 25-month prison sentence for violations of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act at the Butner Federal Correctional Institute in North Carolina.

Hall has a violent and abusive criminal history dating back to 1985 with prior convictions for assault and multiple sex offenses. He is clinically diagnosed as a sociopathic psychosexual career sex offender and the State of New York has labeled him a Tier III sex offender, its most dangerous sex offender classification.

“Hall is a vicious sex offender with violent tendencies and a history that dictates he will most assuredly offend again,” said David L. Harlow, Assistant Director for Investigative Operations. “It is imperative that we employ every available investigative resource to immediately locate and arrest Hall before he has the opportunity to once again prey upon innocent women and children.”

Authorities warn that Hall is sexually attracted primarily to adolescent girls, but has secondary interests in and an attraction to younger boys. He has admitted to sexually abusing two 10-year-old girls and forcibly raping two adult women while in his twenties. Hall’s condition requires a high degree of clinical supervision and dictates he must participate in sex offender treatment. He poses a high degree of danger to the community.

“Hall is a career sex offender who committed countless violent acts against innocent women and children,” said David L. McNulty, U.S. Marshal for the Northern District of New York. “His capture deserves our full investigative attention and we will work with our federal, state, and local partners to ensure justice is served against this violent sexual predator. Hall cannot escape the long arm of the law.”

A reward of up to $25,000 is offered for information leading directly to his arrest.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the nearest U.S. Marshals office or the U.S. Marshals Service Communications Center at 1-800-336-0102.

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

U.S. Marshals Arrest Puerto Rico Most Wanted Fugitive After 14 Years

San Juan, PR – A major fugitive wanted on Puerto Rico state charges for his alleged participation in a 1998 murder of a man in Ponce, Puerto Rico was captured in Huntingdon Valley, PA, by the United States Marshals Service.

Carlos Rodriguez-Alcala was being sought on a State warrant issued in the District of Puerto Rico. He had been a fugitive from justice since 1998, when the Puerto Rico Police Department Homicide Division began investigating him for the brutal murder of a Ponce man as well as for several violations of Puerto Rico weapons laws.

Recently, the United States Marshals Service led Puerto Rico Violent Offenders Task Force became involved in the fugitive investigation and developed information that Carlos Rodriguez Alcala may be hiding in Pennsylvania working in the automotive sales industry. This information was passed on to the U.S. Marshals led Eastern District of Pennsylvania Violent Crimes Fugitive Task Force who was then able to arrest the fugitive at his work place in Huntingdon Valley, PA without incident. It was a swift arrest for this long sought after fugitive.

Carlos Morales Alcala is now awaiting extradition back to Puerto Rico to face his charges in Puerto Rico state court.

"The U.S. Marshals Service throughout the nation combines local and federal law enforcement resources to ensure that fugitives are captured no matter how long it takes. We will continue to hunt fugitives, find them, and make sure that they face their charges in court," said Orlando Rivera, U.S. Marshal for the District of Puerto Rico.

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 U.S. Marshals than all other federal agencies combined.

U.S. Marshals Service led task forces are composed of a combination of local and federal law enforcement officers to combine their expertise and resources. The objective of these task forces is to seek out and arrest the worst violent offenders in each community. Last year, U.S. Marshals led task forces arrested more than 27,000 state and local fugitives on felony charges.

The U.S. Marshals Service led Violent Offenders Fugitive Task Force is composed of law enforcement officers from the San Juan Municipal Police Department, the Puerto Rico State Police, the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections, the Puerto Rico State Treasury Department, the Puerto Rico Bureau of Investigation, the Puerto Rico National Guard and the United States Marshals Service.

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

U.S. Marshals Service Arrests Most Wanted Female

Albuquerque, NM - On September 4, 2012 the United States Marshal Service in New Mexico arrested Janis Deanna Casaus. Casaus was a Federal fugitive wanted after a federal grand jury indicted her on charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Casaus has a criminal history to include weapons, arson, drugs, and theft and that is why she was added to the United States Marshals Service District of New Mexico’s Most Wanted Program.

Investigators assigned to the United States Marshals Service Southwest Fugitive Investigative Team (SWIFT) Task Force developed leads that Casaus was in the Albuquerque area. Investigators were able to locate and positively identify Casaus in the 9800 block of Buena Ventura in NE Albuquerque and arrest her without incident. Casaus will be arraigned in front of a federal judge in Magistrate court for the District of New Mexico.

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

U.S. Marshals Task Force Arrests Akron Police Department's Fleeing Fugitive

Akron, OH – Late last night, the U.S. Marshals Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force (NOVFTF) Akron Division arrested Leo Moore III, age 38. Moore was wanted by the Akron Police Department on the charges of; weapons under disability, carrying a concealed weapon and willful fleeing. Moore was also wanted by the Summit County Sheriff’s Department on drug charges.

On April 17, 2012, Moore was observed on Romig Road, Akron, Ohio driving at a high rate of speed. Akron Police Officers attempted to stop Moore, as he sped away. Moore and a passenger fled on foot into a wooded area east of Romig Road. Officers recovered multiple loaded firearms from the vehicle. Akron Police signed warrants on Moore and requested the assistance of the NOVFTF Akron Division for assistance with his apprehension. Moore was added to the NOVFTF Dangerous Dozen in June of 2012 and profiled numerous times in the Akron area media for the assistance of residents with locating him.

The NOVFTF Akron conducted numerous hours of investigation and surveillance in the Akron, OH area in search of Moore. Late last night, NOVFTF Task Force Officers narrowed Moore’s location down and after hours of surveillance, Moore was spotted in a vehicle. Task Force Officers, along with officers from the Barberton Police Department, followed Moore to the Giant Eagle parking lot in the 40 block of Fifth Street, SE, in Barberton, OH. At approximately 11:30 p.m., Task Force Officers along with Barberton Police moved in and arrested Moore without incident. Officers discovered approximately one gram of suspected heroin on Moore upon arrest and new charges are pending. Moore was transported to the Summit County Jail where he is awaiting further court proceedings.

U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott stated, “Great work by the investigators staying on the trail of this violent fugitive. The team effort of all the task force members involved once again resulted in another success story and a safer community for the greater Akron area.”

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 or text keyword WANTED and the tip to TIP411 (847411). Tipsters may remain anonymous and a cash reward may be available. 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 NOVFTF Akron Division consists of the following federal, state and local agencies:  Akron Police Department, Barberton Police Department, Bath Township Police Department Boston Heights Village Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms, Copley Township Police Department, Cuyahoga Falls Police Department, Department of Housing and Urban Development – OIG, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Hinckley Police Department, Kent Police Department, Montville Township Police Department, New Franklin Police Department, Northfield Village Police Department, Norton Police Department, Ohio Adult Parole Authority, Portage County Prosecutor’s Office, Portage County Sheriff’s Office, Ravenna Police Department, Reminderville Police Department, Stow Police Department, Summit County Sheriff’s Office, Twinsburg Police Department, United States Marshals Service, United States Secret Service, University of Akron Police Department, Wadsworth Police Department.