Detailing the capture of Eugene Cobbs

CLARKSBURG, W. Va. —An escaped fugitive who was arrested in Mexico will be behind bars once again in West Virginia. 

Eugene Cobbs

Eugene Cobbs’ escape from FCI Morgantown was less than difficult the morning of April 10, 2013 when he was assigned to clean a parking lot.

“The only thing that really prevents an inmate from walking away is about a 3 foot fence,” Deputy U.S. Marshal Terry Moore, who was assigned to track Cobbs down said. “So on that morning, Mr. Cobbs decided he was just going to walk away and he was able to walk away without detection and was gone for about six hours before they noticed he was even missing.”

Since Cobbs had escaped to Mexico in 2004 after he was indicted but not immediately arrested, and was not found until 2008 in Guadalajara, Mexico, Moore said Wednesday on MetroNews Talkline the search began with this fact in mind.

“We conducted interviews in several different U.S. Marshal’s Office, interviewed family members, former cell mates, known associates of Mr. Cobbs, received hundreds of tips from the public as to his whereabouts,” he said. “Finally, in September, I was able to determine that he had crossed into Mexico and began where he was captured before.”

This time, Mexican authorities found Cobbs on Monday in a city just outside of Guadalajara.

Moore said it was a relief to have come to a conclusion in the case, after putting so much time and effort into it.

“There are seven Deputy U.S. Marshals in our office, all of them assisted in the case conducting interviews, retrieving items from the prison, forwarding leads out to other locations to conduct interviews. Countless days where we did nothing but this case, everyday doing something to try to locate him.”

Once Cobbs is brought back to West Virginia, the U.S. Marshals Service will make certain he does not escape again.

“Pending his criminal case, he’ll be in United States Marshals’ custody,” Moore said. “We will ensure he is not allowed to escape. Following that, he’ll be sent back to the bureau prison and I’m sure due to his escape, they will reclassify him and place him in a high security facility.”

Cobbs was convicted in 2010 for conspiracy to distribute cocaine and piloting an aircraft without a license. He was piloting the plane in 2004 when he crashed near the Wheeling-Ohio County Airport and immediately fled the scene. Authorities investigating the crash discovered 525 pounds of cocaine worth approximately $24 million. This was the largest amount of narcotics ever located in West Virginia at the time.





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