U.S. Marshals Arrest Federal Escapee in New York

Harrisburg, PA – Today, United States Marshal Martin J. Pane announced the arrest of Tomas Morales-Cresente, also known as Danny Rivera, a 45-year old man living in Ellenville, New York.

On April 2, 2009, Morales-Cresente was convicted of possession of a weapon and conspiracy to distribute cocaine in the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. As a result, he was sentenced to 90 months of incarceration. In February of 2012, he was transferred to the prison camp at the Federal Correctional Institution located in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. On July 16, 2012, Morales-Cresente fled from the camp and did not return. Subsequently, an arrest warrant charging him with Escape was issued and the U.S. Marshals Service began an investigation to apprehend him.

During the more than seven years that followed, deputy marshals pursued leads in Puerto Riceland locations in the northeastern part of United States. Early in 2020, deputies developed information leading them to believe that Morales-Cresente assumed the false name of Danny Rivera and might be residing in Ellenville, New York.

Today, at about 7 a.m., deputy marshals from the Middle District of Pennsylvania and the Northern District of New York went to a residence in the 200 block of South Main Street, Ellenville, New York and arrested Morales-Cresente without incident. He was removed to the Middle District of Pennsylvania for arraignment. Marshals are continuing their investigation into whether someone will face charges for obstruction of justice and/or harboring for assisting Morales-Cresente while he was a fugitive.

"The closure of the case against Morales-Cresente sends a strong message to other fugitives, especially those who have eluded capture for so long," said United States Marshal Pane. "It is vitally important fugitives are caught and held accountable for their actions or in this case to serve their entire sentence."

The United States Marshals Service is the federal government's primary fugitive investigation agency. In Fiscal Year 2019, deputy marshals arrested more than 90,000 fugitives, accounting for more than 105,000 outstanding warrants.