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Columbus, OH - Cathy Jones, United
States Marshal for the Southern District of Ohio, today announced the arrest
of John Whiting in Newark, Ohio, by the Southern Ohio Fugitive Apprehension
Strike Team (SOFAST) and the Newark Police Department. Whiting had been
wanted by the Maricopa County, Arizona Sheriff’s Office for a Probation
Violation. Whiting was on probation for a Manslaughter conviction and had
been a fugitive since September 16, 1980.
The United States Marshals Service in the District of Arizona adopted the
cold case from the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office in June of 2010. During
the investigation, it was learned that Whiting was living in Newark, Ohio
under the alias of Gregory Pierce. This information was forwarded to SOFAST
who located and arrested Whiting on the morning of September 7, 2010.
Whiting is being held in the Licking County Jail pending his extradition
back to Arizona.
Marshal Jones stated, “This cooperation between multiple federal
jurisdictions, local and federal law enforcement authorities, and the public
is the standard for the United States Marshals Service, and an integral part
of making our community a safer place. The dedication and determination of
the officers involved in this investigation is exemplified by the arrest of
Whiting nearly thirty years to the day he absconded from Arizona.”
Columbus SOFAST is a fugitive focused, United States Marshals Service led
task force consisting of local, state, and federal authorities including the
Franklin County Sheriffs, Delaware County Sheriffs, Ohio Adult Parole
Authority, Columbus Police Department, Columbus Division of Fire,
Worthington Police Department, Reynoldsburg Police Department, South
Bloomfield Police Department, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and
Investigation, Grove City Police Department, United States Department of
Agriculture, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the United States
Attorney’s Office. For more information about the U.S. Marshals Service, visit
http://www.usmarshals.gov |
