Astonishing update in hunt for fugitive who escaped Oregon state prison 30 years ago

A wanted fugitive captured aft escaping from an Oregon state situation 30 years agone was discovered to person been flying nether nan radar for decades aft assuming nan personality of a dormant child. 

Steven Craig Johnson, now 70, escaped from Mill Creek Correctional Facility successful Salem, Oregon, connected November 29, 1994 aft being arrested for 3 counts of first-degree activity maltreatment and 1 count of first-degree attempted sodomy.

Johnson has been described arsenic a 'pedophile' that 'presents a precocious probability of victimizing pre-teen boys,' according to the Oregon Department of Corrections. 

He was arrested on Tuesday astir 2pm astatine an flat analyzable successful Macon, Georgia, according to nan US Marshals Service and Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force. 

After further investigation, authorities recovered that Johnson was surviving successful nan analyzable since 2011 nether nan sanction William Cox - a kid who died successful Texas in January 1962. 

Johnson managed to get a transcript of nan dormant child's commencement certificate, and successful 1995 he sewage clasp of a Social Security successful Texas. Three years later he was issued a Georgia driver's license, nan agency said.

The US Marshals Service took complete Johnson's lawsuit successful 2015 arsenic 'multiple leads were developed and pursued' by nan agency. 

In 2019, nan Oregon Department of Correction distributed a wanted poster for Johnson that described him arsenic personification who 'should not beryllium allowed interaction pinch children.' 

He was listed arsenic 1 of Oregon's astir wanted fugitives, according to nan agency's website. 

Johnson, who was wanted connected an apprehension warrant for escape, has been booked into Georgia's Bibb County Jail and is group to beryllium extradited backmost to Oregon. 

The Mill Creek Correctional Facility closed down successful 2021 during past Governor Kate Brown's sentencing betterment efforts, nan section said. 

The Associated Press previously reported that Brown decided to unopen down nan situation to prevention nan authorities much than $44million. 

She decided to do truthful to 'reduce nan state’s reliance connected incarceration' and alternatively put into preventing group from entering nan criminal justness system.  

The authorities situation opened its doors successful 1929 nether nan sanction Farm Annex of nan Oregon State Penitentiary. 

Up until 1998, 'inmates processed beverage from a McMinnville-area farmers' cooperative for usage by different authorities institutions,' the Oregon Historical Society reported. 

The 2,089 minimum-security situation was located 5 miles southeast of Salem and 'housed astir 290 adults successful custody who were wrong 4 years of release,' according to nan department.