Ohio Fugitive Caught After 18 Years While Managing Hotel in Miami Beach
After 18 years on the run, U.S. Marshals apprehended an Ohio fugitive who was working as a hotel manager and personal trainer in Miami Beach.
The fugitive, 68-year-old Craig Scanlon, was on the run since 2007, after disappearing while under federal supervised release. Scanlon was convicted in 2001 of money laundering, mail fraud, and other charges for his role in defrauding clients out of nearly $700,000. Scanlon served 46 months in federal prison before disappearing near the end of his supervised release term.
The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) followed up leads on Scanlon’s whereabouts over the years throughout Ohio, Florida, and Texas. Within the last few weeks, investigators with the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force (NOVFTF) believed they had found Scanlon living and working in Miami Beach.
As investigators closed in, they found Scanlon living and working in a hotel on Collins Avenue. When approached, he gave a fake name of “August Brooke” before admitting he was Craig Scanlon.
“Incredible work by investigators here in Ohio as well as in Florida led to the ultimate capture of a fugitive who thought he could disappear under a fake name and life in the Miami sun. The Marshals Service will not stop looking for fugitives, no matter how long and how far they run,” said U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott.
Scanlon is in custody in Florida and will eventually appear in federal court in northern Ohio.
2007 Disappearance
Scanlon reportedly had a tense visit with law enforcement shortly before his 2007 disappearance.
The warrant describes a tense visit to Scanlon's rental home while he was on probation, with law enforcement saying they "were amazed by the amount of expensive items found in the home” including furniture with the tags on it, new computers, high-end clothing, and commercial gym equipment.
According to the warrant, the situation immediately drew suspicion from the agents, due in part to Scanlon's reported salary at the time. Scanlon claimed the items were gifts from his parents. Shortly after, he disappeared.