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Washington, DC – Just three days
after becoming the newest addition to the U.S. Marshals’ 15 Most
Wanted list, Ralph “Bucky” Phillips is back behind bars. Shortly
after 8 p.m. (EDST) Friday, September 8, in Warren County PA,
Phillips surrendered to a massive combined law enforcement
contingent comprised of federally deputized officers from the New
York State Police, U.S. Marshals, Warren County Sheriff’s Deputies,
and officers from dozens of other local agencies. Despite vows not
to be taken alive, Phillips eventually raised his hands and came out
of the field where he was hiding without firing a shot or saying a
word. Fifteen hours earlier, a
spontaneous pursuit of a stolen car that zigzagged back and forth
across the New York/Pennsylvania state line led officials to cordon
off an area containing a man they suspected was Phillips. The chase
ended with the man bailing out of his moving vehicle and fleeing
into a nearby wooded area. Soon after, a canine officer confronted
Phillips and fired at him when he turned and pointed a handgun at
the officer. Phillips fled that confrontation and state police
quickly set up a series of perimeters to ensure he could not
escape. Slowly, they closed the noose.
U.S. Marshals worked furiously to
deputize the local New York Officers and contributed both ground and
air support to the operation. The New York State Police, whose
officers had last seen Phillips, along with the Pennsylvania State
Police coordinated the impressive array of manpower and resources.
After his arrest, Phillips appeared
before a federal judge on a charge of unlawful flight to avoid
prosecution. The judge agreed to turn Phillips over to state police
to face the charge of attempted murder in Chemung County, New York.
After acknowledging his identity, he was led away by Deputy
Marshals who would facilitate the hand off to local officials.
“I commend the performance of the New
York State Police, as well as the Pennsylvania State Police and all
of the other local agencies in New York and Pennsylvania that
contributed to this outcome,“ said John Clark, Director of the U.S.
Marshals Service.
“The rapid coordination and
cooperation that resulted in Phillips capture today reflects the
kind of work we are doing in our task forces nationwide,” Clark
said, “We rely every day on our partners in local law enforcement
and they know they can count on the Marshals Service to be there for
them as well.”
U.S. Marshal Peter A. Lawrence
(Western District of New York) expressed his deepest sympathy to the
family of slain New York State Trooper Joseph Longobardo, and
extended his office’s hopes for a speedy recovery for Trooper Donald
Baker, injured in the August 31 ambush.
U.S. Marshals operate more than 80
local task forces comprised of federal, state, and local partners.
They pursue local fugitives wanted for violent or drug related state
offenses as well as federal crimes. In the past ten months, U.S.
Marshals, often working with local agencies, have cleared over 114,
500 federal and state felony warrants.
Phillips’s
wanted poster, and original wanted
release, are on the U.S. Marshals website,
www.usmarshals.gov. |
