'Most Wanted' captured in Ga.

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HUNTINGTON — The U.S. Marshals C.U.F.F.E.D. Fugitive Task Force captured one of its highest priority targets Wednesday near Atlanta.

Darrick Lamar Crowder, 37, was captured on a federal cocaine trafficking warrant from October 2006. He had been featured on The Herald-Dispatch “Tri-State’s Most Wanted” since December 2006.

The actual arrest warrant remains under seal, but the C.U.F.F.E.D. Fugitive Task Force said it charges Crowder, also known as "Tuff," with possessing with an intent to distribute at least 500 grams of powder cocaine.

The Task Force said multiple federal agencies had targeted Crowder as being linked to a crime organization transporting drugs between Columbus, Ohio, and Huntington.

The Huntington Police Department stopped Crowder’s vehicle in October 2004. He was charged with felony possession of marijuana. The Task Force said Crowder posted bond before officers found a large quantity of powder cocaine in his vehicle.

The $700 cash that satisfied Crowder’s $7,000 bond was returned when the marijuana case was dismissed a month later, court records state.

Huntington police arrested Crowder again in September 2006. He was charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct and never appeared in court, according to court records.

The federal Drug Enforcement Administration reportedly filed its cocaine warrant against Crowder in October 2006. He has eluded capture ever since.

The Task Force captured Crowder at a gasoline station in College Park, Ga. It is a southwestern suburb of Atlanta. The Task Force said the capture occurred without incident. It was based upon information and assistance from a confidential informant.

Crowder indicated he knew he would eventually be caught, the Task Force said.

Crowder will make a federal court appearance in the Northern District of Georgia. He will be returned to Huntington at a later date.

The local Task Force planned on returning Thursday. It credits the U.S. Marshals Southeast Regional Task Force in Atlanta for providing assistance.

The Herald-Dispatch “Tri-State’s Most Wanted” list has featured 36 fugitives since June 2006. No capture had been reported in seven cases as of Nov. 20, 2008.

Any law enforcement agencies interested in posting wanted fugitives in The Herald-Dispatch should contact reporter Curtis Johnson at 304-526-2804, or via e-mail at cujohnson@herald-dispatch.com.

Courtesy of the U.S. Marshals Service

Darrick Lamar Crowder