EL PASO, Texas — Two children abducted from Missouri were safely rescued in Chaparral, New Mexico, according to a U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) news release issued Wednesday, May 27.
On Tuesday, May 26, the USMS Western District of Missouri sent a lead to the District of New Mexico to locate the two abducted children and apprehend the alleged abductor, 47-year-old Ralph Jones Jr. The Nodaway County Sheriff’s Office in Missouri had wanted Ralph on kidnapping charges, according to USMS.
Authorities believed Jones was traveling through New Mexico with three children, two of whom were the abducted victims.
The USMS District of New Mexico Southwest Investigative Fugitive Team, working alongside the New Mexico State Police Fugitive Apprehension Unit and the Otero County Sheriff’s Office, launched a joint effort to locate the children and take Jones into custody.
Law enforcement tracked Jones down along the 700 block of Luna Drive in Chaparral, according to USMS.
Officers safely rescued the two abducted children along with a third child. Authorities transferred all three minors to the Child, Youth and Family Department, where they will stay until officials in Missouri make further arrangements.
Jones was booked into the Doña Ana County Detention Center, where he awaits extradition to Missouri to face kidnapping charges.
“The recovery of these children, and the arrest of the abductor is an example of the unwavering dedication exhibited by The United States Marshal Service, and our State and Local partners,” U.S. Marshal for the District of New Mexico David O. Barnett, Jr. said. “The safety and security of children will always be our greatest priority. They are our greatest hope for a brighter and better tomorrow.”
“I’m incredibly proud of my deputies and the quick coordination between the Nodaway County Sheriff’s Office, the United States Marshals Service, New Mexico State Police, and all assisting agencies in New Mexico. As a result of everyone’s collective efforts, two endangered juveniles were safely recovered and a suspect was taken into custody without incident, all within a matter of hours. The Nodaway County Sheriff’s Office is grateful for the excellent teamwork shown by agencies across the country to ensure the safety and safe return of these children from our community.” Sheriff Austin Hann of the Nodaway County Sheriff’s Office said.
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