For Immediate Release

Florala, AL/Pensacola, FL – The U.S. Marshals Florida Regional Fugitive Task Force from Pensacola arrested a sexual predator wanted by the Florida State Parole Commission who cut his monitoring bracelet off and allegedly stole his employer’s vehicle and fled to the DeFuniak Springs area before being arrested in Florala, Al late yesterday afternoon.  On June 7, the 42-year-old, Richard Hudson, who had been on supervised release for his prior conviction of three counts of sexual battery by threat or force, cut off his monitoring device and fled Orange County, FL. The Task Force in Pensacola learned of Hudson being in the DeFuniak area yesterday from the FRFTF in Tallahassee. Investigators there learned that Hudson also reportedly absconded with his employer's vehicle, a 1993 Chevrolet Suburban. The investigation led the Task Force to Florala; where just across the state line they found the stolen Suburban near a park at Jackson Lake. Shortly after 2:30 p.m. Task Force Officers from Okaloosa and Walton County Sheriff’s Offices and Officers from DeFuniak Springs Police Department found Hudson in the park and arrested him with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Gulf Coast Regional Task Force without incident. Hudson was accompanied by 45-year-old Karen Roach who was listed as missing from Orange County. Task Force investigators discovered that Roach was also wanted by Orange County on a violation of probation warrant. Both were bought to the Covington County Jail and will be held there until extradited to Florida.

Hudson was also traveling with fugitive Michael Dean Depriest, who also cut off his monitoring device. Depriest is a registered Sexual Predator as a result of his prior conviction for lewd & lascivious battery on a victim between 12-15 years of age. The Madison County Sheriff's Office, FL, holds the warrant for Depriest's arrest. Depriest and Hudson allegedly parted recently and he is still on the run. The Pensacola Task Force is following leads they developed late yesterday evening. Depriest is a 6’00” 49 year old white male, with brown hair, blue eyes with a skinny build. He is known to shave his head, have facial hair and sometime wears glasses. It is believed that he is still in the Walton County area.

At the same time in Pensacola, Task Force members from Escambia and Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Offices arrested 25-year-old Daniel Brooks, wanted by Escambia County Sheriff’s Office for sexual battery by physical force. On June 4, Brooks allegedly became enraged when his wife denied his sexual advances and used force to sexually assault her. He was arrested at Chili’s on 9 Mile Road in Pensacola and brought to the Escambia County Jail. 

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

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