SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A major fugitive wanted on Puerto Rico state charges for his alleged participation in a 1998 murder of a man in Ponce, Puerto Rico, was captured in Huntingdon Valley, PA, by the U.S. Marshals Service.

Carlos Rodriguez Alcala was being sought on a State warrant issued in the District of Puerto Rico. He had been a fugitive from justice since 1998, when the Puerto Rico Police Department Homicide Division began investigating him for the brutal murder of a Ponce man as well as for several violations of Puerto Rico weapons laws.

Recently, the U.S. Marshals Service led Puerto Rico Violent Offenders Task Force became involved in the fugitive investigation and developed information that Carlos Rodriguez Alcala may be hiding in Pennsylvania working in the automotive sales industry. This information was passed on to the U.S. Marshals led Eastern District of Pennsylvania Violent Crimes Fugitive Task Force who was then able to arrest the fugitive at his work place in Huntingdon Valley, PA, without incident. It was a swift arrest for this long sought after fugitive.

Carlos Morales Alcala is now awaiting extradition back to Puerto Rico to face his charges in Puerto Rico state court.

“The U.S. Marshals Service throughout the nation combines local and federal law enforcement resources to ensure that fugitives are captured no matter how long it takes. We will continue to hunt fugitives, find them, and make sure that they face their charges in court,” said Orlando Rivera, U.S. Marshal for the District of Puerto Rico.

Annually, investigations carried out by the U.S. Marshals result in the apprehension of approximately 34,000 federal fugitives. More federal fugitives are arrested by U.S. Marshals than all other federal agencies combined.

U.S. Marshals Service led task forces are composed of a combination of local and federal law enforcement officers to combine their expertise and resources. The objective of these task forces is to seek out and arrest the worst violent offenders in each community. Last year, U.S. Marshals led task forces arrested more than 27,000 state and local fugitives on felony charges.

The U.S. Marshals Service led Violent Offenders Fugitive Task Force is composed of law enforcement officers from the San Juan Municipal Police Department, the Puerto Rico State Police, the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections, the Puerto Rico State Treasury Department, the Puerto Rico Bureau of Investigation, the Puerto Rico National Guard and the United States Marshals Service.