Tallahassee, Florida Fugitive Captured in Upstate New York

A fugitive from Justice has been apprehended by police in Upstate New York.

According to Police Chief Ron Fontaine of the New Hartford Police Department, officers arrested 41-year-old Phillip Lavalley who was wanted by authorities in Tallahassee, in the panhandle portion of Florida. Fontaine said Lavalley was wanted on a handful of charges including probation violations stemming from a burglary charge he faced from that region of the country.

Police say Lavalley was arrested in Ilion, NY on Monday afternoon, January 13, 2025, on multiple vehicle and traffic law charges that occurred in New Hartford. While processing Lavalley, police say it was discovered that he was wanted by police near Tallahassee, by the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office. Jefferson County is approximately 30 minutes east of Tallahassee.

New Hartford Police made contact with The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office which requested that Lavalley be held pending extradition back to the State of Florida.

Lavalley was processed on multiple vehicle and traffic law violations and charged with Being a Fugitive From Justice. Lavalley remains in custody at this time pending extradition hearings locally.

[AUTHOR'S NOTE: This post is for informational purposes and is based largely on information received from the New Hartford Police. Regardless of any statements or photographs regarding potential evidence presented or accusations alleged, the reader is reminded that all suspects and/or arrested persons are innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. At the time of this posting no additional information is available.]

16 Of New York State's Most Wanted Criminals- January 2025

Below are individuals wanted by the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision's (DOCCS) Office of Special Investigations who have been designated as its Most Wanted Fugitives. They should be considered armed and dangerous. This list is current as of 1/01/2025:

NEVER attempt to apprehend a fugitive yourself. If you have information on the location of any of these fugitives, you can contact OSI 24 hours a day / 7 days a week to report it. All leads and tips are treated as confidential information.

If an immediate response is necessary, such as you see the wanted person at a location, please call “911” and report it to the police.

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