East Texas

By CASEY KNAUPP
Staff Writer

U.S. marshals in Tyler announced Wednesday the capture of a Texas' Top 10 Most Wanted man -- wanted for sexually abusing a child and assaulting police officers. He had eluded authorities for nearly three years.

Sidney Campbell, 25, was arrested in Ruston, La., Tuesday night.

"This fugitive investigation is arguably the most extensive fugitive investigation undertaken by the U.S. Marshals' Joint East Texas Fugitive Task Force in Tyler," U.S. Deputy Marshal Anton Slavich said Wednesday in a prepared statement. "Many folks associated with this case are glad to see Sidney in jail."

Campbell made the Texas Department of Public Safety's Top 10 Most Wanted list in October 2006 and appeared on America's Most Wanted in June 2008.

In November 2005, Campbell was indicted in Rusk County on an aggravated sexual assault of a child charge.

According to DPS records, on Sept. 25, 2005, Campbell allegedly broke into a home by kicking in the door and sexually assaulted a 13-year-old girl.

In April 2006, Rusk County Sheriff deputies and Kilgore police officers tried to arrest him at his mother's Kilgore home but Campbell allegedly assaulted two officers and fled through the woods. Campbell's mother was arrested for hindering apprehension and Campbell was indicted for assault on a public servant, Slavich said.

Campbell began living with a distance cousin in Tuscaloosa, Ala., and allegedly stole his relative's vehicle, four firearms and $100 and fled back to Texas in May 2006. The investigation shows he may have lived in Longview for most of 2007. After learning he may be in Del Rio in December 2007, marshals conducted days of surveillance but determined he was not there. In January 2008, they learned he may be living with a woman in Abilene but determined he was not there either, Slavich said.

In June 2008, Campbell aired on America's Most Wanted as a "15 Seconds of Shame" fugitive. An extensive story was filmed by the television show in Tyler but never aired.

In August, Campbell's mother was arrested in Gregg County on fraud charges.

Campbell was living in Louisiana under the name of his deceased grandfather, William Moore. Someone was able to determine his real name, searched the Internet and discovered he was wanted by the marshals. That person contacted Louisiana authorities, which activated a SWAT team to serve the warrant, Slavich said.

In September 2007, the U.S. Marshal's Joint East Texas Fugitive Task Force adopted the case and worked closely with the Rusk County Sheriff's Department, DPS and U.S. marshals in Del Rio and Fort Worth.

Campbell's charges include: aggravated sexual assault of a child and assault on a public servant in Rusk County, unauthorized use of a vehicle in Gregg County, a state parole violation for the original charge of burglary, unlawful flight to avoid prosecution by U.S. marshals and multiple misdemeanor theft charges in Panola County.

Sidney Campbell
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