Morris County Prosecutor's Office Announces Results of Fugitive Apprehension Initiative
Published on December 23, 2013
Acting Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp announces that in June 2013, the Morris County Prosecutor's Office Fugitive Unit was provided with additional staffing and resources to place an emphasis on decreasing the amount of active fugitives wanted in Morris County.
Acting Prosecutor Knapp stated: Protecting the citizens of Morris County from violent criminals wanted by law enforcement, and ensuring that offenders fulfill their obligation to the criminal justice system, is a primary focus of the Morris County Prosecutor's Office. Every resource available will to be used to track down and apprehend these individuals.
Since the commencement of the initiative in June of this year, the Morris County Prosecutor's Office Fugitive Unit has dramatically reduced the number of active warrants. The results are listed below.
Total Active Fugitive Warrants on July 1, 2013: 650
Fugitive Warrants cleared
· Located & apprehended: 50
· Arrested by other jurisdictions: 6
· Located in jail or prison - Detainers lodged: 6
· Extradited from outside NJ: 17
· Deported from USA: 21
· Deceased: 3
· Arrested in NJ and Returned to Demanding State
as a Fugitive From Justice: 24
· Located outside the USA: 50 +/-
TOTAL WARRANTS CLEARED since July 1, 2013: 303
In addition to these efforts, the Morris County Prosecutor's Office placed its 10 Most Wanted Fugitives on their Website, which to date, has resulted in the apprehension of three of the most dangerous offenders evading capture. They are:
Acting Prosecutor Knapp thanks the members of the Fugitive Unit for the work they have performed in an effort to reduce the warrant backlog, especially Captain Daniel DeGroot and Sergeant Carmen Ferrante, under whose leadership these excellent results have been achieved.
Anyone who knows they have an active arrest warrant in Morris County are encouraged to call the Morris County Prosecutor's Office Fugitive Unit and arrange to turn themselves in.
Any inquiries can be directed to First Assistant Morris County Prosecutor/SDAG Thomas Zelante at 973-285-6252 or tzelante@co.morris.nj.us