LADY LAKE, FL (352today.com) – The Lady Lake Police Department (LLPD) has announced the arrest of Donald Eugene Fields II, one of the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives. Fields was apprehended on Saturday, Jan. 25, following a routine traffic stop by LLPD Sgt. Michelle Bilbrey. The arrest occurred around 9:15 a.m. at the intersection of U.S. Highway 27/441 and Rolling Acres Road.
Sgt. Bilbrey initiated the stop after noticing that the vehicle’s license plate was not registered to the car Fields was driving. This led to the identification and capture of Fields, who faces federal charges of child sex trafficking and state charges of child rape. Fields had been added to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list in May 2023.
LLPD Chief Steve Hunt praised Sgt. Bilbrey and the department for their outstanding work. “Sometimes, an everyday traffic stop turns into a real game-changer. This is a reminder that every officer, every day, is out there making a real difference,” Chief Hunt said. “Every traffic stop is an opportunity for justice. What starts as a routine encounter can quickly turn into a pivotal moment, where an officer’s sharp instincts and dedication to service lead to a significant arrest—keeping our community and in this case, the nation, safer.”
The FBI also commended the efforts of the LLPD. Special Agent in Charge Ashley Johnson stated, “Thanks to proactive policing by the Lady Lake Police Department, one of the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted fugitives has been captured.” Chief Hunt, an FBI National Academy graduate, expressed his gratitude for the collaboration between the FBI and local law enforcement.
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Fields, 60, was federally indicted in St. Louis on Dec. 7, 2023, on charges related to child sex trafficking, accused of attempting to recruit and exploit a minor for commercial sex acts between January 2013 and June 2017. He is also facing state charges in Missouri, including statutory rape, statutory sodomy, child molestation, and witness tampering. Fields became a fugitive in March 2022 when he failed to appear for a court hearing in Franklin County, MO.
Following his arrest, Fields will be scheduled to make his first appearance in federal court in Florida.
In additional statistics provided by the FBI, 532 individuals have been added to the FBI’s Most Wanted list since its inception in 1950. Fields was the 531st addition, and of those 532 individuals, 495 have been apprehended or located, including Fields.
The FBI continues to lead the case, with further proceedings to be held in the coming weeks.