LARUE, OH (MARION COUNTY NOW)—On Thursday, local law enforcement successfully apprehended a fugitive wanted on serious charges following a coordinated search operation.
The Marion County Central Dispatch Center received a request for assistance at 8:48 AM from a Deputy Marshall with the United States Marshall’s Office regarding a suspect wanted for felony charges.
Upon arrival at the 8600-block of Larue-Green Camp Road, deputies learned that the fugitive had been spotted nearby, though it remained unclear whether he had sought refuge inside a local residence or fled into a wooded area to the north. Authorities were alerted that the suspect might be armed.
In response, a comprehensive search was initiated, involving a collaborative team of Deputy Sheriffs, Marion Police Department officers, a Trooper from the Ohio State Highway Patrol Marion Post, and Deputy U.S. Marshalls. Support from a helicopter dispatched from the Columbus Division of Police enhanced the search efforts.
The investigation led law enforcement to a residence on West Vine Street in the Village of Larue. After making several public announcements and conducting a tactical approach, the fugitive emerged from the residence and was taken into custody without any further incidents.
The suspect, identified as Mark Jason Purtee from Huntington, West Virginia, is wanted on a felony warrant from Cabell County, West Virginia, for first-degree sexual assault of a child under the age of 12.
Following his arrest, Purtee was transferred to the Multi-County Correctional Center, where he will await extradition.