Trooper Ben Stuart
Troop B (Lake City)

Recently, Trooper Ben Stuart of the Lake City District was patrolling Interstate 10 in Columbia County when he noticed a vehicle traveling over the speed limit. Trooper Stuart ran a records check on the vehicle, which revealed that the owner was wanted out of Volusia County for a domestic violence warrant with no bond. Trooper Stuart arrested the driver and booked him into the Columbia County Jail.

A short time later, the United States Marshal’s Office contacted Trooper Stuart regarding this arrest, informing him that the suspect had stolen the identity of a wanted man, and was actually an escapee from a federal prison in Jessup, Georgia. This was discovered when he was booked into the Columbia County Jail, and his fingerprints matched the fugitive warrant in the federal system.

The message here: If you are going to steal someone's identity, make sure they are not wanted by the police!

Great Job by Trooper Stuart!