Newark, NJ – A Newark fugitive accused of aggravated assaulting two Newark police officers was taken into custody Tuesday after U.S. Marshals tracked him to Raleigh, North Carolina, where he barricaded himself inside the attic of a residence for about three hours before surrendering.
Isaiah P. Ketchens was wanted on an arrest warrant issued by the Newark Police Department on Aug. 1, charging him with aggravated assault on two officers and weapons possession offenses. Authorities said he had allegedly fled New Jersey following the incident and was located through a coordinated investigation by the U.S. Marshals Service and Newark police task force officers.
Three-hour barricade ends peacefully
Investigators determined Ketchens was living in the Raleigh area and moved to arrest him with assistance from federal, state and local law enforcement partners. When officers attempted to take him into custody, authorities said he climbed into the attic of a residence and refused repeated commands to surrender.
After an approximately three-hour barricade, Ketchens surrendered to Deputy U.S. Marshals and assisting officers without further incident. Authorities said no law enforcement personnel or civilians were injured during the operation.
Acting U.S. Marshal Nicholas Ricigliano said fugitives who attack law enforcement officers cannot escape accountability simply by crossing state lines.
“Individuals who violently attack law enforcement officers and attempt to evade justice should know that crossing state lines will not shield them from accountability,” Ricigliano said. “The U.S. Marshals Service, alongside our federal, state, and local partners, remains steadfast in its commitment to locating and apprehending dangerous fugitives wherever they may flee.”
Extradition to New Jersey pending
Ketchens was processed in North Carolina following his arrest and will face extradition proceedings before being returned to New Jersey to answer the pending charges filed by Newark authorities.
Newark Public Safety Director Emanuel Miranda Sr. praised the investigative efforts that led to the arrest.
“This fugitive had been at large for nearly an entire year and was being sought on charges of aggravated assault on two Newark police officers and weapons possession,” Miranda said. “Our task force officers’ unwavering commitment to public safety is both remarkable and exemplary.”
The arrest was carried out by members of the U.S. Marshals Service’s New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force with assistance from the Newark Police Department and the Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force.
Why it matters
The arrest concludes a nearly year-long search for a suspect accused of seriously assaulting two Newark police officers. Officials said the case highlights the role of multi-agency fugitive task forces in locating and apprehending suspects who flee across state lines to avoid prosecution.
