|
Florence, SC – On Friday, February 11th,
2011 U.S. Marshals led Operation Intercept Fugitive Task Force, Marion County
Sheriff’s Office, and Mullins Police Department officers arrested Barbara
Edwards AKA: Barbara Longwell and Leonard Hamrick at 6211 Spring Tide Court
Mullins, SC. Edwards and Hamrick are wanted on Fugitive Warrants from the
Nicholas County Sheriff’s Office in Summersville, WV for Child Concealment
Charges stemming from a missing child case on December 21st, 2009. Edwards is
the child’s grandmother and was court ordered not to have contact with the
child. Edwards and Hamrick fled West Virginia in December 2009 and have not
been seen in the area since.
Information obtained by the Nicholas County Sheriff’s Office led them to the
U.S. Marshals in Southern West Virginia to request assistance in locating and
apprehending Edwards and Hamrick. Deputy U.S. Marshals in WV developed
information leading the investigation to South Carolina. Operation Intercept
Fugitive Task Force Officers and Deputy U.S. Marshals combined with Marion
County Sheriff’s Deputies and Mullins Police Officers located Edwards and
Hamrick at the Spring Tide Court address and arrested both without incident.
The child was also discovered in the residence and has been placed in Department
of Social Services custody until return to West Virginia. Edwards and Hamrick
are housed at the Marion County Detention Center awaiting hearings for their
return to West Virginia.
Kelvin Washington U.S. Marshal for the District of South Carolina stated:
“Children are our most precious asset. I applaud the due diligence of all our
law enforcement partners and Deputy U.S. Marshals involved in the happy return
of this child. These arrests will bring closure to a scary and long wait for
the family of this child. This should be a sign to those wanting to hide in our
communities; we will work tirelessly to bring each of you to justice.”
Established in 1789, the United States Marshals Service is the nation’s oldest
federal law enforcement agency. In fiscal 2009, the Marshals arrested more than
36,400 federal fugitives, clearing 39,400 felony warrants. Marshal’s
Service-led task forces like South Carolina’s Operation Intercept arrested
90,800 state and local fugitives, clearing 117,000 felony warrants. Locally,
Operation Intercept arrested over 2,500 South Carolina fugitives during that
same period.
Additional information about the U.S. Marshals Service can be found at
http://www.usmarshals.gov
####
America’s Oldest Federal Law Enforcement Agency |
