Kansas City, MO - United States Marshal Mark S. James announced today the capture of Mercer County escapee Drake Kately near New Castle, Delaware.
The Mercer County Sheriff’s Office requested the assistance of the United States Marshals Service in early September 2019 following the escape of Drake Kately from the county jail where he was being held on state charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm, parole violation for burglary and a previous escape charge.
The Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers joined in the search and disseminated information to the public soon after the escape. Working with investigators from the Sheriff’s Office, Deputy Marshals followed up on tips and leads across several states and by mid-October had honed their search down to the New Castle area. Kately was believed to have traveled to Delaware with an associate who had relatives in the area. On the morning of Nov. 19, 2019 deputies and task force officers searched a wooded area in nearby Wilmington where they suspected Kately may be hiding out and living “off the grid". Task force members encountered Kately hiding in a makeshift shelter fashioned from foliage around a fallen tree after observing clothing hanging from a nearby tree branch. He was taken into custody and lodged with the New Castle County Police Department. He awaits extradition back to Missouri to face his state 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. It also provides direct support to law enforcement agencies in tracking down and recovering missing children. 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.
Source: U.S. Marshals Service Contacts
