Oklahoma Fugitive Captured After 13 Years on the Run

BREAKING: After an astonishing 13 years on the run, Anthony Lennon, once listed among Oklahoma’s 10 Most Wanted Fugitives, has been apprehended in Canton, New York. U.S. Marshals confirmed this urgent update, revealing that Lennon had been evading justice since 2012.

Lennon was initially convicted in 2008 for possession of child pornography but received only probation. He later violated that probation by accessing a computer, prompting further investigations by the Moore Police Department. In March 2012, authorities discovered more incriminating evidence on his electronic devices, leading to eight felony charges for child pornography.

According to Moore Police Chief Todd Gibson, the situation took a dramatic turn when Lennon allegedly staged his own robbery and kidnapping from a local Super 8 Motel to avoid capture. “We never believed that Mr. Lennon was deceased. He was trying to evade capture,” stated Cleveland County District Attorney Jennifer Austin.

For over a decade, law enforcement monitored Lennon’s trail of aliases, eventually tracing him to upstate New York. Local Deputy U.S. Marshals, in collaboration with the New York New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force, successfully located and arrested him outside a grocery store while he was attending university.

Lennon now faces a federal charge for failing to register as a sex offender, in addition to the eight counts of possession of child pornography. Austin indicated that further charges may be forthcoming as they coordinate with federal authorities to determine the next steps. “We will have to work together with our partners in the federal system to determine basically who gets to go first,” she noted.

Currently, Lennon is in custody in New York, awaiting a judge’s decision on his extradition back to Oklahoma. This capture marks a significant victory for law enforcement and underscores the relentless pursuit of justice for victims of child exploitation.

Stay tuned for more updates as this story develops.