U.S. MARSHALS CRESCENT STAR FUGITIVE TASK FORCE ARREST TWO POST KATRINA CONSTRUCTION WORKERS IN NEW ORLEANS ON WESTERN TENNESSEE FEDERAL SEX OFFENSE CHARGES

On December 18, 2006, the Eastern District of Louisiana (EDLA) Crescent Star Fugitive Task Force (CSFTF) with assistance from the New Orleans Police Department arrested William Paulus, 23 years old, and Santos Camarillo (AKA: Leo Chavez), 22 years old, on a federal indictment/warrants out of Western Tennessee (Eastern Division Jackson, TN) charging both with using a cell phone to induce and entice minors to engage in sexual acts. They were also wanted by Jackson, TN Police Department on failure to appear charges on eight counts of statutory rape.

Paulus was arrested without incident in the 7300 block of Primrose St. in New Orleans East where he was doing drywall work related to repairing houses damaged by Hurricane Katrina. Camarillo was arrested later the same afternoon in the 8100 block of Nelson St. New Orleans at a residence where he was also doing Katrina repair construction work. Paulus is from Tennessee and Camarillo is believed to be a Mexican National.

The U.S. Marshals W/TN Mid South Fugitive Task Force (Jackson, TN) developed information that both fugitives had fled Tennessee and were in New Orleans working. CSFTF was contacted for assistance in locating them.

CSFTF is sponsored by the EDLA U.S. Marshals office and it began operation in 1999. It relies on the support of local and state law enforcement agencies to accomplish its fugitive apprehension mission. Current members of the task force include the New Orleans Police Department, the Orleans Parish Criminal Sheriff’s Office, the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office, Bogalusa Police Department, Louisiana Probation and Parole, and U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Services. The U.S. Attorney General recently committed additional Marshals Service resources to the New Orleans metro area to assist with the post Katrina crime spike. The U.S. Marshals Service also has regional fugitive task forces, and like CSFTF, other district U.S. Marshals offices also have their own fugitive squads. This nation wide network of fugitive task forces has been very effective in arresting many violent fugitives and sexual predators.