 COVINGTON,
KY – Less than three weeks after being named to the U.S. Marshals
“15 Most Wanted Fugitives” list, serial bank robber and prison escapee
Anthony “Tony” Ray Artrip is now in custody after U.S. Marshals
Deputies, joined by state and local authorities, arrested him in a hotel
in South Fayette Township, Pa., at approximately 2:30 p.m.
Artrip, 35, of Ashland, Ky., was arrested without incident following a
standoff at the hotel outside of Pittsburgh. Tips led Marshals Deputies
to the Knights Inn in South Fayette, where they attempted an arrest at a
room rented by Artrip at approximately 9:30 this morning. When
authorities entered the room, Artrip was gone and had apparently escaped
by climbing through the ceiling tiles and was in the hotel attic –
prompting authorities to evacuate the motel, secure the area and
establish a perimeter. He had remained in the hotel during the standoff.
Artrip was wanted by U.S. Marshals in the Eastern District of Kentucky
since his June escape from the Grant County, Kentucky Detention Center.
Following his escape, Artrip is a suspect in at least five bank
robberies in West Virginia, North Carolina, Kentucky, Michigan and
Georgia. During the commission of these robberies, Artrip allegedly drew
a handgun on several tellers. Artrip was nearly apprehended in
Asheville, N.C., on Sept. 11, 2007, but escaped after a vehicle pursuit.
“It is great news that we have finally managed to bring Tony Artrip in.
This was likely one of the most brazen and elusive criminals we have
ever pursued and all of us are relived that his crime spree has come to
an end without further violence or injury, “said John Schickel, U.S.
Marshal for the Eastern District of Kentucky.
“I would like to thank all of the dedicated law enforcement
professionals who helped in the apprehension of this dangerous fugitive.
My thanks to Marshal Tom Fitzgerald and the authorities in western
Pennsylvania who brought Artrip in – assuring he had no place to hide as
he tried to pull off one more vanishing act.”
Recently, Artrip was profiled on FOX-TV’s America’s Most Wanted. It is
believed that tips into this program aided the Marshals efforts to
apprehend Artrip.
Prior to his escape, Artrip was awaiting sentencing in federal court for
three counts of bank robbery, following a conviction in Ohio.
See Artrip's
Wanted Poster
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Release
For more information, go to the U.S. Marshals web site at
www.usmarshals.gov . |
