A man who was on the run from federal law enforcement in New York City for over a year was nabbed last month by chance- after a federal law enforcement officer spotted him at Walt Disney World in Florida.
Quashon Burton, who was accused of fraudulently obtaining coronavirus relief aid, was spotted in the Animal Kingdom on October 20 by US Postal Inspector Jeff Andre.
Andre, who previously signed Burton’s criminal complaint, was quick to spot the “H” tattoo on Burton’s neck.
Burton evaded law enforcement for some time due to his penchant for adopting fake identities, and stole about $150,000 in forgivable federal loans.
“During the scheme charged in this case, the defendant used fraudulent email accounts, fake identification documents, bank accounts and bank cards in the names of other individuals, and stolen personal identification information in a manner that created a complex web of identities that made his crimes difficult to investigate,” according to federal court documents. “He has clearly demonstrated an ability to mask his true identity to evade law enforcement. So too has he demonstrated a willingness to lie about this identity to avoid arrest. “
According to WDW News Today, the USPIS agent notified the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, who verified Andre’s identity and moved in to capture Burton.
Disney security teams tracked Burton during the hour or more it took to verify respective identities and allow the OSCO to swoop in, right as Burton was waiting by a bus stop with his family.
“I advised Quashon that I needed to speak with him about the possible suspicious activity he was involved in, and he questioned why he needed to provide his identification,” the arresting OSCO deputy wrote in the report. “Later, I advised him he was the subject of a warrant, and when I attempted to secure him, he began tensing up and bracing his arms. I informed him multiple times to place his hands behind his back, but he refused. Due to Quashon’s resistance, I placed my chest to his side and my arms around his hips and took him to the ground to safely secure him. Quashon refused to identify himself during my investigation…. Based on Quashon’s resistance, he was charged with resisting an officer without violence.”
Burton was taken to the OCSO detention center and handed over to the feds.
In a surprising twist that contrasts with recent tales of NY being out of control with bail reform, Judge Lewis Kaplan from the Southern District of New York ruled in favor of the government and said Burton should not be released on bail before trial.
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