U.S. marshals captured a fugitive they had been chasing for 11 years on Kauai Monday.
U.S. marshals captured a fugitive they had been chasing for 11 years on Kauai Monday.
William Lawrence, 41, had been on the run since 2006, when he was convicted of forcible sexual abuse and forcible sodomy, a third-degree felony, according to a press release. At the time of the alleged abuse, Lawrence worked as a correctional officer for the Utah Department of Corrections.
Lawrence used his badge to coerce a young girl into performing sexual acts, handcuffing her to the bed and forcing her to perform against her will, the release said. Before the sentencing hearing, Lawrence fled.
“As a former law enforcement officer, Lawrence knew the strategies used to track down fugitives. He was able to elude law enforcement for years — until now,” said Supervisory Deputy U.S. Marshal Derryl Spencer.
While revisiting cold cases in October, U.S. marshals in Utah discovered Lawrence had created a fake identity and was living in Hawaii. On Sunday, two U.S. marshals from Utah flew to Kauai to arrest Lawrence, with the help of U.S. Marshals/Task Force Officers assigned to the Honolulu office.
Lawrence was taken into custody without incident at a McDonald’s while having lunch.
