A federal fugitive wanted by the U.S. Marshals Service has been nabbed near Fordsville.
Ohio County Sheriff Adam Wright said that on Sunday afternoon at approximately 3:00, deputies responded to the report of a suspicious vehicle near Fordsville “where the driver was walking in and out of the woods.”
When deputies arrived on scene, they encountered 43-year-old Jackie Joe Whittley Jr., of Evansville, Indiana, who was in possession of a duffel bag containing three handguns “and a large amount of ammunition.” One of the firearms was confirmed stolen out of Evansville, Wright said.
Furthermore, deputies discovered Whittley had a federal warrant and was wanted by the U.S. Marshals Service.
Whittley was arrested and charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, receiving stolen property (firearm), possession of a controlled substance (drug unspecified), and public intoxication (excluding alcohol).
He was lodged in the Ohio County Detention Center.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Whittley was sentenced in federal court in Indianapolis, Indiana, to 180 months in prison in January 2014 after pleading guilty to illegally possessing a sawed-off shotgun, along with numerous other firearms.
“In sentencing the defendant, (Chief U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young) determined Whittley was an armed career criminal,” according to prosecutors.
At the time of the guilty plea, Whittley admitted to possessing 14 firearms and a sawed-off shotgun at his home in Cynthiana, Indiana, 20 miles north of Evansville.
“Officers had gone to Whittley’s home after clerks at a nearby gas station alerted them that Whittley had a gun in his possession and was making threatening statements. Whittley was apprehended after leading officers on a high-speed motorcycle chase. Due to a criminal record that included three prior violent burglary convictions, Whittley received an enhanced penalty as an armed career criminal,” prosecutors said.
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
