Concord, NH - The United States Marshals Service - NH Joint Fugitive Task Force is very pleased to announce the arrest of four fugitives today.
The day started off strong, with the arrest of “Fugitive of the Week," James Marshall Canney, 60 years-of-age, who was wanted on a two arrest warrants including a Rockingham County probation violation and a State of NH parole violations, both of which stem from prior convictions and sentences on narcotics cases. Mr. Canney had been featured as the “Fugitive of the Week" on February 9, 2022, which was aired on WTPL-FM, WNTK-FM, WTSN-FM, WEMJ-FM, The Union Leader, The Nashua Telegraph, The Patch, Foster’s Daily Democrat, Manchester Information, the Manchester Ink Link, the Rochester Voice and prominently featured on the internet. The “Fugitive of the Week" continues to be a very successful tool that has resulted in the location and arrest of numerous fugitives since its implementation in 2007. Additionally, the “Fugitive of the Week" was distributed statewide to all law enforcement officers in New Hampshire.
The U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force had developed information indicating that Canney was possibly staying at a Brooks Street, Manchester, NH address. This morning Canney was observed getting in a van and departing the residence. The U.S. Marshals requested the assistance of the Manchester Police Department to make the vehicle stop due to his history of fleeing in a motor vehicle. Canney initially refused to stop for law enforcement, but eventually stopped at the corner of South Willow Street and Vinton Streets, where he was arrested without further incident. Canney was processed by the Manchester Police Department and held without bail on his two outstanding arrest warrants.
The next case was at the request of the U.S. Marshals in Massachusetts, who were assisting the Massachusetts State Police and the Haverhill Police Department in locating and arresting Gjon Gjegji, 53 years-of-age, last known to reside in Pelham, NH. Gjegji was wanted on an arrest warrant issued on March 23, 2022 alleging 3 counts of rape of a child with force with an age difference of 10 years or more; and 2 counts of indecent assault and battery on a person over age 14. Information developed indicated that Gjegji was residing at a home on Windham Street in Pelham, NH. After a period of surveillance, Gjegji was observed leaving this residence in a yellow box truck. The assistance of the Pelham Police Department was requested and Gjegji was arrested when he stopped for his morning coffee at a local restaurant on Route 38 in Pelham. After Gjon’s arrest, the second person in the vehicle was positively identified as another wanted person after he had initially provided a false name. Leonardo Gjegji, 25 years-of-age, also of Pelham, NH was arrested on two outstanding arrest warrants issued by the Concord District Court in 2021. One warrant was for theft by unauthorized taking and the second for willful concealment. Both Gjon and Leonardo Gjegji were turned over to the Pelham Police Department for processing. Gjon was charged as a fugitive from justice based on the very serious allegations out of Massachusetts and Leonardo was processed on his two NH warrants involving larcenies.
Lastly, the U.S. Marshals from the District of Vermont contacted the NH Joint Fugitive Task Force shortly after noontime today requesting our assistance in locating and arresting a fugitive wanted on a federal supervised release violation. Douglas Richard Allen, 64 years-of-age, who was last known to reside at a half-way house in Manchester had absconded from the program. Information developed indicated that he was currently in the area of Veteran’s Park in Manchester, NH and was easily recognizable wearing his trademark tie-dyed sneakers. This information was forwarded to our task force partners at the Manchester Police Department, along with deputy U.S. Marshals. After a short period of surveillance, Allen was located and arrested without incident. Allen was transported to the Merrimack County Jail, where he will be held pending his initial court appearance and removal hearing in the U.S. District Court in Concord, NH on March 29, 2022.
U.S. Marshal Nick Willard said, “The partnerships that we have developed throughout New Hampshire and New England have truly strengthened our ability to apprehend fugitives." Willard continued, “We are grateful for all of the help and support that we receive day in and day out from law enforcement partners and cannot thank them enough."
Since the inception of the U.S. Marshals - New Hampshire Joint Fugitive Task Force in 2002, these partnerships have resulted in over 8,542 arrests (Updated as of 12/31/2021). These arrests have ranged in seriousness from murder, assault, unregistered sex offenders, probation and parole violations and numerous other serious offenses. Nationally the United States Marshals Service fugitive programs are carried out with local law enforcement in 94 district offices, 85 local fugitive task forces, 8 regional task forces, as well as a growing network of offices in foreign countries.
