U.S. Marshals Capture Illinois Sex Assault Fugitive

SCRANTON, Pa. – U.S. Marshal Michael R. Regan announced today that the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) arrested Trinity Payne near Hazleton, Pennsylvania.

Payne had been sought by Illinois authorities since June 2010. It is alleged Payne engaged in the violent sexual assault of his ex-girlfriend. The Macon County Sheriffs Office conducted the investigation.

As a result, an arrest warrant was issued in Macon County, Illinois, charging Payne with multiple counts of Aggravated Criminal Sexual Assault and other related offenses.

Payne is a prior convicted felon in Illinois, having completed a state prison sentence in the Illinois Department of Corrections. At the time of the alleged sexual assault, Payne was on state parole. As a result, Illinois authorities issued a state parole violation warrant.

On June 29, Illinois authorities requested the assistance of U.S. Marshals to identify, locate and apprehend Payne. The case was adopted by the U.S. Marshals Service Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force.

Within the last 24 hours, U.S. Marshals and members of the USMS Middle District of Pennsylvania (M/PA) Fugitive Task Force began working leads on Payne’s whereabouts in the Hazleton area.

During the early afternoon hours of August 11, U.S. Marshals and members of its M/PA Fugitive Task Force located Payne at the Red Rooster Motel on Rt. 924 in Harwood, Luzerne County. When arrested by U.S. Marshals and task force officers inside a motel room, Payne admitted his true identity. Various forms of identification in the fugitive’s name were found in the motel room.

Payne, 35 years of age, was turned over to the Pennsylvania State Police for processing. He will be charged as a fugitive-from-justice, and await court proceedings concerning his extradition to Illinois.

U.S. Marshals were assisted by several agencies that comprise its M/PA Fugitive Task Force. This included officers from the Lackawanna County Sheriffs Office, Pennsylvania Board of Probation & Parole, and Pennsylvania State Police. Additional support was provided by the Hazleton Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation.