For Immediate Release

South Carolina Fugitive Arrested in Savannah

A fugitive wanted by the Jasper County, South Carolina Sheriff’s Department was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force in Savannah, Georgia on January 6, 2009.

Kelly Lamont Anderson, 32, was being sought on a warrants issued in Jasper County, South Carolina charging him with Trafficking in Crack Cocaine, Trafficking in Cocaine, Possession with intent to distribute Marijuana, Possession of a firearm during the commission of a violent crime, and a warrant issued by the South Carolina Department of Parole for probation violation for a previous drug charge. The above charges happened in October 2007 in Hardeeville, South Carolina.

The case was referred to the U.S. Marshals Savannah Office of the Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force for assistance in locating and arresting this subject. Numerous leads were worked in the by the Marshals’ Task Force in the last two weeks. On January 6, 2009, members of the Marshals task force went to the address of 393 Chevis Road in Savannah, Georgia and conducted surveillance and observed Anderson as the passenger in a vehicle that was leaving the residence. Task Force members blocked the vehicle from leaving the residence and arrested Anderson without incident. Richardson was taken to the Chatham County jail to await extradition back to South Carolina.

Annually, investigations carried out by the U.S. Marshals result in the apprehension of approximately 36, 000 federal fugitives. More federal fugitives are arrested by the Marshals Service than all other federal agencies combined.

The Marshals Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force has three offices: Atlanta, Macon, and Savannah. The task force covers the whole state of Georgia. The Savannah Offices of the Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force is a team comprised of investigators from the Georgia Department of Corrections, the Chatham County Sheriff’s Department, the Savannah Chatham Metropolitan Police Department and the United States Marshals Service. The task force objective is to seek out and arrest fugitives charged with violent crimes, drug crimes, sex offenders, and other felonies. Last year, U.S. Marshals Task Forces arrested more than 58,600 state and local fugitives on felony charges.

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