A man wanted on federal methamphetamine charges since 2017 was finally caught this week, found working under a fake name at a meatpacking plant in Colorado Springs. Ernest Madrid, 54, was taken into custody on Wednesday without incident, closing out a manhunt that spanned nearly a decade and crossed state lines.
Madrid had been wanted out of New Mexico on charges of conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, and aiding and abetting, according to fox21news.com. The charges dated back to 2017, meaning Madrid had evaded capture for roughly nine years before investigators finally caught up with him this week.
The break in the case came when the U.S. Marshals Service Southwest Investigative Fugitive Task Force gathered information about Madrid's whereabouts after nearly nine years on the run, according to the original reporting from ABQ RAW. That tip reportedly pointed investigators toward a meatpacking plant in Colorado Springs, where Madrid had allegedly been working under an alias, the station's report notes.
A Cross-State Manhunt Comes Together
Because Madrid had apparently relocated out of New Mexico, the U.S. Marshals Service District of New Mexico contacted the District of Colorado requesting assistance to locate and apprehend him, as reported by koat.com. That coordination between the two districts is what ultimately resulted in Madrid's apprehension, per ABQ RAW's account of the case.
On Wednesday, members of the Colorado Violent Offender Task Force located Madrid in Colorado Springs, and he was taken into custody without incident after investigators developed a coordinated apprehension plan. The Marshals Service was assisted in the operation by officers from the Fountain Police Department and the Colorado Department of Corrections, according to gazette.com.
Following his arrest, Madrid was booked into the El Paso County Jail in Colorado Springs, where he now awaits extradition back to New Mexico to face the pending charges, per the same account from fox21news.com.
Officials Vow to Keep Hunting Fugitives
U.S. Marshal Kirk Taylor said his agency does not relent in these pursuits, regardless of how long a fugitive manages to stay hidden. “The U.S. Marshals do not stop, whether a fugitive has been on the run for nine days, nine months, or nine years,” Taylor said, according to ABQ RAW. He added that he was “proud that our team was able to assist in apprehending this fugitive so he can have his day in court,” a sentiment echoed in fox21news.com's reporting on the arrest.
David O. Barnett Jr. offered a similarly pointed message about the case, saying, “Nine years on the run, but you cannot outrun the marshal service,” per ABQ RAW. Barnett added that the Marshals Service will continue working to bring people who harm New Mexico communities to justice, the outlet reported.
Deputy U.S. Marshal Enrique Castillo reported that no additional charges had been filed against Madrid at the time of the arrest, and that no new information had been identified beyond what investigators already had, given Madrid's lengthy time on the run, according to ABQ RAW. The U.S. Marshals Service encourages anyone with information about wanted fugitives to contact a local office, call 1-800-336-0102, or submit a tip through the USMS Tips App.
