Executive Summary
- Gary W. Howard, a 76-year-old convicted sex offender from Florida, was arrested in Indianapolis after being a fugitive for 16 years.
- In 2010, Howard staged his own death by suicide in Kentucky to evade law enforcement after absconding from probation.
- The arrest was made by the U.S. Marshals Service after an investigation revealed he was living with relatives in Indiana.
- Howard faces extradition to Florida for his probation violation and could face numerous new charges in both Florida and Indiana.
A 76-year-old Florida man, convicted of possessing child pornography, has been arrested in Indianapolis after being a fugitive for 16 years. Authorities report that Gary W. Howard staged his own death in 2010 to evade law enforcement after violating his probation.
In 2007, Howard was convicted in Pinellas County, Florida, on 22 counts of Possession of Child Pornography, which required him to register as a sex offender for life. According to the U.S. Marshals Service, Howard absconded from his state probation in 2010.
Shortly after his disappearance, an Enterprise rental vehicle belonging to Howard was discovered near Mauzy Lake in Morganfield, Kentucky, in what investigators determined was a premeditated attempt to fake a suicide and mislead law enforcement.
An investigation involving the U.S. Marshals Service and the Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force developed leads suggesting Howard was with relatives in the Indianapolis area. Surveillance was established, and interviews with associates confirmed his location.
Howard was arrested without incident while standing on the front porch of a residence in the historic Irvington neighborhood of Indianapolis. Upon his arrest, Howard reportedly stated, “I had hoped to be dead before you caught up with me.”
“This arrest exemplifies the tenacity and determination of Deputy U.S. Marshals and our task force partners to bring every fugitive to Justice,” said William Berger Sr., U.S. Marshal for the Middle District of Florida, in a statement.
Legal Proceedings
Howard will be extradited to Florida to face charges for violating his probation. He may also face up to 32 counts of Failure to Register in Florida and a federal prosecution in Indiana under the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act. It is important to note that individuals facing new charges are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.