CNN
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Leonard Francis, the previous army contractor generally known as “Fats Leonard” who orchestrated the most important corruption scandal in US Navy historical past, is on the run after escaping home arrest in San Diego by chopping off his GPS monitoring ankle bracelet, based on the US Marshals Service.
The escape, first reported by The San Diego Union-Tribune, comes simply three weeks earlier than his sentencing.
The federal company monitoring Francis’ home arrest, Pretrial Companies, known as the San Diego Police Division on Sunday to examine on him, Supervisory Deputy US Marshal Omar Castillo informed CNN. When police found Francis’ dwelling empty, they contacted the US Marshals, Castillo stated.
When a group of US Marshals went to Francis’ home on Sunday, Castillo stated, the one factor they discovered was the ankle bracelet he had minimize off and left in a conveyable cooler.
Neighbors informed the US Marshals that they’d just lately seen a number of U-Haul vans at Francis’ home, based on Castillo.
“It seems he has been planning this for some time,” he informed CNN.
The Pacific Southwest Regional Fugitive Process Pressure, San Diego division – which is run by the US Marshals – is trying to find Francis.
Castillo stated the Naval Prison Investigative Service (NCIS) can also be concerned as a result of they labored on the unique case.
“Now we have a couple of leads we’re following,” Castillo stated.
The US Marshals Service has issued a nationwide “be looking out” alert for Francis, Castillo informed CNN Tuesday afternoon.
The previous army contractor has been flagged as a fugitive in a nationwide database utilized by legislation enforcement throughout police encounters, Castillo stated, which can even alert US Marshals within the occasion Francis makes an attempt to board a flight below his title in any industrial airport within the nation.
The US Marshals Service can also be coordinating with its border management and legislation enforcement counterparts in Mexico if Francis makes an attempt to flee through the US southern border, he added.
Kelly Thornton, with the US legal professional’s workplace within the Southern District of California, informed CNN on Tuesday that her workplace “is supporting the U.S. Marshals Service and its San Diego Fugitive Process Pressure of their efforts” however declined to remark additional.
Francis, whose nickname got here from his then 400-pound heft, pleaded responsible to bribery and fraud costs in 2015.
The investigation into the corruption scandal started in 2013 and touched on capitals and ports throughout the Pacific, together with Singapore, Tokyo, Bangkok and Manila. In the course of the probe, a number of Navy officers have been arrested and accused of accepting money, prostitutes and all-expenses-paid journeys in change for steering ships to ports the place Francis’ contracting firm operated, offering companies akin to gasoline and tugboats.
CNN has reached out to the FBI in San Diego. When contacted by the San Diego Union-Tribune Monday, Francis’ protection legal professional declined to remark.