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Lafayette, LA – Forty year old Patrick George
was arrested at about midnight last night in Valdosta, Georgia by the U.S.
Marshals in Albany with critical assistance from the Narcotics section of the
Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office. George was arrested pursuant to Louisiana
Revised Statute 14:130, Obstruction of Justice. George was hiding out with his
half sister at 930 Rhett Road Apt. A, Valdosta, GA. George is a suspect in the
homicide investigation that was initiated after Cory Nicholas Sonnier was found
murdered in Lake Martin on June 24, 2011.
On June 30th the St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s Office requested the assistance of
the U.S. Marshals Violent Offender Task Force (VOTF). VOTF began working with
St. Martin Sheriff’s Office and on July 4th information was received that led
investigators to believe that George had fled Louisiana and was hiding in
Southern Georgia. VOTF – Lafayette contacted the U.S. Marshals in Albany,
Georgia and we began working together analyzing the information and attempting
to covertly confirm that George was in fact in Valdosta. Last night, the
decision was made to attempt to contact George and/or his half-sister. The plan
worked, George was located and arrested without incident. He continued to claim
his name was Paul Williams, but officers were able to confirm that he was, in
fact, Patrick George. Moreover, during this arrest 8.56 pounds of Marijuana was
seized along with a firearm. George was booked last night at the Lowndes County
Sheriff’s Office.
Henry Whitehorn, the United States Marshal for the Western District of
Louisiana, said, “The coordinated effort of all law enforcement to bring
dangerous criminals to justice ensures that the streets and neighborhoods of
Louisiana are a safer place to raise our children.”
The Violent Offender Task Force in Lafayette is a team comprised of full-time
law enforcement officers from the Lafayette City Marshals, Iberia Parish
Sheriff’s Office, Lafayette Police Department, St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office,
St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Louisiana Probation and Parole. Further,
VOTF calls upon part-time Task Force Officers (TFOs) throughout its eight parish
area. In 2010 VOTF -- Lafayette closed over 400 Warrants, most of which were
violent felony offenses. US Marshals Task Forces throughout the United States
arrested 81,900 state and local fugitives on felony charges.
Additional information about the U.S. Marshals
can be found at http://www.usmarshals.gov.
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