A notorious sex offender, once listed among Oklahoma’s Ten Most Wanted fugitives, has been apprehended after allegedly orchestrating an elaborate scheme to fake his own death. Anthony Lennon reportedly evaded capture for nearly 13 years by enrolling in a university in New York.
The U.S. Marshals Service announced that Lennon was arrested last week in Canton, New York. His capture marks the end of a lengthy pursuit dating back to his initial conviction in 2008 for child pornography, which resulted in a 20-year suspended sentence.
Despite his conviction, Lennon found himself back under criminal scrutiny in 2012 when authorities uncovered new allegations. Officials discovered that he was allegedly in possession of additional child pornography, with evidence including disturbing chat logs, external drives, and explicit videos involving minors found at his residence.
As law enforcement officers prepared to arrest Lennon at a Super 8 Motel in Moore, Oklahoma, they encountered a scene designed to mislead them. According to reports, Lennon had staged a fake abduction and robbery, complete with falsified evidence, in a bid to make it appear as if he had been forcibly taken.
His elaborate ruse, however, ultimately failed to prevent his capture. Now, after years of eluding justice, Lennon faces the consequences of his actions as he returns to face charges stemming from his alleged crimes in Oklahoma.
As authorities closed in on the Super 8 Motel in Moore, Oklahoma, to arrest Lennon on additional charges, they realized that he had “staged an elaborate and bloody abduction and robbery scene, leaving behind falsified evidence to make it appear he had been abducted,” according to officials.
After successfully evading arrest, Lennon remained on the run for 13 years.
Anthony Lennon was previously convicted of numerous child pornography charges in Oklahoma, and was one of the state’s “Ten Most Wanted” fugitives. (U.S. Marshals Service )
“He went to extremes, and we did determine that the large amount of blood at the staged crime scene actually was his,” Moore Police Chief Todd Gibson said in a news conference, according to People.
While on the run, Lennon allegedly adopted the alias “Justin Phillips,” and was enrolled in college at the State University of New York at Canton at the time of his arrest, NNY360 reported. According to the U.S. Marshals Service, Lennon had previously earned a master’s degree in computer science and was working to obtain a doctorate at the time of his disappearance.
Detectives subsequently interviewed Lennon under his alias and used fingerprint analysis to confirm his identity, police said. He was taken into custody in New York and is awaiting extradition to Oklahoma, People reported.
Anthony Lennon was allegedly living in New York under the alias “Justin Phillips” at the time of his capture, according to authorities. (U.S. Marshals Service )
Authorities are also working to determine if Lennon committed any additional crimes while on the run, according to 7News.
“This case remains active and under investigation,” the U.S. Marshals Service said in a statement. “But with his capture we can now begin the process of holding Lennon accountable for the crimes he committed against children in our community.”
The U.S. Marshals Service did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
