Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Marshals capture Citrus County man

On July 25, the United States Marshals Service Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force (CRFTF) announced the arrest of fugitive Rapheal Malik Akbar Arnold.

The 32-year-old Arnold was wanted out of Citrus County for Sexual Battery on a child under the age of 12.

“Our agency owes the arrest of this violent fugitive and the safety of this 5-year-old child to our regional task force partnership with the U.S. Marshals Service,” said Citrus County Sheriff Mike Prendergast.

“Their efforts, combined with our local intelligence, led to the safe apprehension of this fugitive, and more importantly, the locating of this missing child.”

On July 16, 2020, a warrant was issued in Citrus County for Arnold, who was known to be a long-distance truck driver.  Information was received by the CRFTF that Arnold would be traveling through western North Carolina, on July 25, 2020, in a tractor-trailer.

On July 25, members of the CRFTF developed information that Arnold was traveling on Highway 74, in Rutherford County, NC. At approximately 4 p.m., the truck that Arnold was suspected to be in was stopped by members of North Carolina Highway Patrol and members of the CRFTF.

Arnold was quickly apprehended and transported to the Rutherford County Jail, where he was served with warrants for Sexual Battery on a Child – Under the Age of 12. Arnold is being held without bond, pending his extradition to Florida.

“This case was an excellent example of our partnership and how being on the United States Marshals Service task force increases law enforcement’s ability to apprehend fugitives across the country and seek justice for those who cause harm to their citizens,” said Marty West, Deputy Commander of the United States Marshals Service – Florida Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force.

Additionally, Arnold’s 5-year-old child, who had been reported missing from Citrus County, was also located in the truck.

The child was safely turned over to the Rutherford County Department of Social Services.

We want to thank our partners at the U.S. Marshals Service for their assistance in keeping citizens, especially children, safe, a CCSO statement said today.