An Ohio fugitive wanted on active felony warrants was captured hours after deputies posted his booking photograph on Facebook, the sheriff’s office said.
Anthony Ward, known locally as “Popeye,” was sought by law enforcement in Adams County, according to deputies.
In June 2018, the Adams County Sheriff’s Office published the mugshot and asked the public for help finding him, officials said.
Ward had felony warrants out of Brown County, according to investigators.
Deputies also wanted to question the suspect in connection with several breaking-and-entering cases, the sheriff’s office said.
Along with the mugshot, the sheriff’s office released an image of a vehicle tied to the search. Ward was believed to be driving a black Chevrolet Cruze, police said.
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The booking photo did the work the department needed it to do, according to officials.
Ward’s tattoo covers the area under both eyes, a mark distinctive enough that no complicated description was necessary, deputies said.
Anyone who saw the suspect’s face once would recognize it again, according to the sheriff’s office.
The appeal quickly gained traction online. The post was shared nearly 3,000 times on Facebook, police said.
Ward was found and arrested roughly eight hours after the appeal went out, according to deputies.
The arrest was a rare example of a viral mugshot aiding an active investigation instead of becoming a novelty after the fact, officials said. The same image that made the suspect internet-famous was the reason he was caught within a single day, police said.
Ward was booked on theft and breaking-and-entering charges, the sheriff’s office said.
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