A man formerly residing in Moore has been charged with a federal offense after he staged a crime scene and fled the state in 2012, evading law enforcement for over a decade. Anthony Michael Lennon, 44, is facing charges for failure to register as a sex offender, an allegation publicized by U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
Back in March 2012, the case began to unravel when Moore Police Department officials realized Lennon had vanished from a local hotel, leaving behind what seemed to be signs of violence, but was later determined to be a fabricated crime scene, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office of the Western District of Oklahoma. In addition to his absence, Lennon reportedly withdrew all of his money from his bank accounts, a move suggesting his intention to abscond.
Lennon, on the run, settled in New York, yet never registered as a sex offender despite his obligations. Investigators later discovered his attempts to secure a United States passport using an alias. His plot came to an end when authorities arrested him on October 30, 2025, in Canton, New York. Following Lennon's indictment by a federal Grand Jury on November 18, the failure to register as a sex offender could cost him up to a decade behind bars and a fine reaching $250,000.
This development marks the culmination of an extensive investigation carried out cooperatively by the United States Marshals Service, Moore Police Department, and the Diplomatic Security Service, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Edgmon leading the prosecution. While Lennon has been charged, it's important to remember, as the U.S. Attorney's Office notes, these charges are merely allegations, and Lennon is deemed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
