Monday morning, last week’s “Fugitive of the Week,” Lace Meattey, 32, was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force hiding under a blanket in a stairwell of a residence on Pine Street in Rochester.
Meattey was wanted on an outstanding Strafford County arrest warrant for bail violations on charges of drug possession and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child.
Meattey had been originally charged with these offenses in Strafford County Superior Court and released on bail.
This arrest warrant was issued when she absconded from supervision.
Meattey had been featured as the “Fugitive of the Week” Sept. 27.
The “Fugitive of the Week” had been aired on WTPL-FM, WMUR-TV, The Union Leader, The Nashua Telegraph, The Patch, Foster’s Daily Democrat, Manchester Information, the Manchester Ink Link and prominently featured on the internet.
The “Fugitive of the Week” has been 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” is distributed statewide to all law enforcement officers.
The U.S. Marshals fugitive task force received numerous tips indicating that Meattey was still in the Rochester and Farmington areas.
Monday, investigators developed information that Meattey was at an apartment on Pine Street in Rochester.
The task force searched the apartment and located Meattey hiding under a blanket at the bottom of a stairwell, where she was arrested without further incident.
This arrest was the result of tips combined with the investigative efforts of the fugitive task force.
Members of the NH Joint Fugitive Task Force include Hillsborough, Rockingham and Strafford County Sheriff’s Offices, Federal Protective Service, as well as deputy US Marshals.
Meattey was transported to the Strafford County Jail, where she will be held without bail pending her arraignment on this outstanding arrest warrant.
Since the inception of the New Hampshire Joint Fugitive Task Force in 2002, these partnerships have resulted in over 6,806 arrests (updated as of May 25).
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, seven regional task forces, as well as a growing network of offices in foreign countries.
The U.S. Marshals Service is the primary federal agency charged with conducting fugitive investigations throughout the country.
The U.S. Marshals regularly work in concert with other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to seek out and arrest violent fugitives and sex offenders, and has established task forces throughout the nation to facilitate the apprehension of fugitives.
The U.S. Marshals Service is the nation’s primary fugitive hunting organization and captures more federal fugitives each year than all other law enforcement agencies combined.
Annually, U.S. Marshals arrest more than 50 percent of all federal fugitives and serve more federal warrants than all other federal agencies combined.
Additional information about the U.S. Marshals Service can be found at http://www.usmarshals.gov.
America’s Oldest Federal Law Enforcement Agency
