Oregon police will often stop at nothing to find people who have been indicted for crimes. If necessary, local Oregon police departments can ask other agencies -- including the Oregon state police, U.S. Marshals, the FBI and others -- to help in the investigation and capture of wanted criminals. Once other agencies are involved it becomes very likely that someone will be arrested, eventually.
Recently, a man wanted on various drug charges has been arrested after a 10 year search. According to law enforcement officials, the man was found and arrested in Washington by the U.S. Marshals Service's Pacific Northwest violent offender task force.
Police claim that the 65-year-old man went on the run in 2003 after he was one of several people indicted in a drug investigation. While all the other defendants have been arrested, this man was still on the loose. He had been charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and with cocaine possession.
During the time he allegedly spent on the run, police say that the man created a new identity and lived with family members in Washington. The U.S. marshals arrested him as he left the place where he had been living outside of Seattle. Following his arrest, the man will likely be transferred to Oregon where he will face criminal proceedings.
In situations like these, it could be easy for the police to arrest the wrong person. With the passage of time, police may be more desperate to arrest anyone for the crime, which can lead to mistakes and cases of mistaken identity. This can be especially true when multiple police departments are involved. Therefore, in every case, those accused of drug charges should make sure they prepare an aggressive defense. With the proper criminal defense, people can clear their names and return to normal life.
Source: The Oregonian, "Fugitive sought for 10 years in Oregon drug case arrested in Washington," July 16, 2013
