Kansas City, MO - United States Marshal Mark S. James announced today the arrest of alleged child molester Scott Dames Keith from Trenton in Wichita, Kansas on the afternoon of Sept. 11, 2019.
On Aug. 28, 2019 the 3rd Judicial Circuit Court for Grundy County, Missouri issued a 3rd degree felony child molestation warrant for Scott Dames Keith following the filing of a complaint by Grundy County Prosecuting Attorney Kelly Puckett. Keith, a 70 year old man living in Trenton, is alleged to have molested a minor child at his home in June 2019. Following the investigation by local authorities, Keith was observed by witnesses packing personal belongings into his car and was believed to have fled the area. His whereabouts were unknown until this past week when the U.S. Marshals Service started looking for him.
On September 3rd, Marshals Service deputies from Missouri, Nebraska and Kansas started following up on leads generated by the Trenton Police Department and Grundy County Sheriff’s Office. Deputy Marshals followed the trail to Wichita where the Marshals Service task force from the District of Kansas would locate a vehicle belonging to Keith after discovering he had been staying in a local motel for the past month. Deputies fanned out and conducted a canvas of apartment complexes in the area and eventually discovered his vehicle on the afternoon of Sept. 11, 2019. Deputies knocked at his door and took him into custody without incident. U.S. Marshal Mark James attributed his quick capture to the initial leg work conducted by investigators from Trenton PD and the Grundy County Sheriff’s Office, and the network of U.S. Marshals fugitive task forces that blanket the entire country. The tireless efforts and collaboration between local investigators and the U.S. Marshals Service ensured Keith’s life on the run wouldn’t last long. He was lodged at a local detention facility and awaits extradition back to Missouri to face the charges.
The U.S. Marshals Midwest Violent Fugitive Task Force-Kansas City division, operates in conjunction with members of the Kansas City Missouri Police Department, Independence Missouri Police Department, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Missouri State Highway Patrol and other federal law enforcement partners. The task force objectives are to seek out and arrest fugitives charged with violent crimes, drug offenses, sex offenders and other serious felonies. Nationally the United States Marshals Service fugitive programs are carried out with local law enforcement in 94 district offices, 67 local fugitive task forces, 8 regional task forces, as well as a growing network of offices in foreign countries.
Tips can be submitted anonymously to the Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers via the TIPS hotline at 816-474-8477, on the internet at KCcrimestoppers.com or on the free mobile app available at P3Tips.com. Tips can also be submitted to the U.S. Marshals service directly and anonymously by downloading the USMS Tips app to your Apple or Android device. It can also be accessed online at https://www.usmarshals.gov/tips/index.html. Follow the latest news and updates about the U.S. Marshals Service on Twitter: @USMarshalsHQ
