Springfield, MO – Lonnie G. Richardson, age 50, was arrested by
the U.S. Marshals Service-Midwest Violent Fugitive Task Force in Laclede
County, Missouri on Monday, February 8th.
Richardson was charged in Wright County, Missouri
with two counts of Tampering with a Judicial Officer, and 2nd Degree
Terrorist Threat—both felonies under Missouri law. Richardson was
charged after a February 4th incident in which he threatened to kill a
Wright County judge, the Sheriff, and their families—prompting a
multi-agency law enforcement effort to protect them.
U.S. Marshals Service investigators tracked
Richardson to a rural area near Lebanon. There, U.S. Marshals along with
deputies from the Laclede County Sheriff’s Office found Richardson
hiding in a small camping trailer. After a brief standoff, Richardson
was arrested and taken to the Laclede County Jail pending his return to
Wright County.
The U.S. Marshals Service-Midwest Violent
Fugitive Task Force in Springfield led the multi-agency search for
Richardson. “Richardson threatened to kill public officials and their
families,” said U.S. Marshal Mark James of the Western District of
Missouri, “His reckless behavior threatened to tear the fabric of our
criminal justice system. If you act in this lawless way, the U.S.
Marshals will find you and bring you to justice.”
The U.S. Marshals Midwest Violent Fugitive Task
Force—Springfield Division, partners with members of the Greene County
Sheriff’s Office, the Christian County Sheriff’s Office, the Springfield
Police Department, and the Joplin Police Department. The mission of U.S.
Marshals Service fugitive programs is to seek out and arrest fugitives
charged with violent crimes, drug offenses, sex offenders, and other
serious felonies. To accomplish this mission, the U.S. Marshals Service
partners with local law enforcement agencies in 94 district offices, 85
local fugitive task forces, 8 regional task forces, as well as many
foreign countries.
Submit tips on fugitives directly and anonymously
to the U.S. Marshals Service by downloading the USMS Tips app to your
Apple or Android device, or online at:
https://www.usmarshals.gov/tips/index.html.
Additional information about the U.S. Marshals Service can be found
at http://www.usmarshals.gov.
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America’s
First Federal Law Enforcement Agency