From a Franklin County Sheriff’s Department press release with other information from various sources
On Wednesday, December 14, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department received notice that fugitive Steven T. Lakes, 46, Connersville, had been arrested in Texas on several felony warrants out of Indiana.
Deputies had been working with the U.S. Marshal’s office, as well as local law enforcement after receiving information the fugitive fled to Texas. Lakes is being held in the Collin County Jail, awaiting extradition back to Indiana where he faces multiple felony charges in both Franklin and Union counties.
Collin County is northeast of Dallas with a small portion of Dallas within the county.
Lakes was wanted on charges in Franklin County from a 2021 case. Lakes did not show up for a jury trial on those charges in Franklin Circuit Court on August 8 of this year.
A FCSD deputy spotted a vehicle where Lakes was allegedly the driver on Friday night, Nov. 4. It was on Old US 52 near its intersection with Indiana 121.
At the time of the traffic stop, Lakes allegedly bailed from the vehicle leaving a female and small child in the vehicle. A foot search ensued, and a perimeter was set around the stopped car, but Lakes was not found.
On Saturday, Nov. 5, Connersville Police Department, Fayette County Sheriff’s Department and other law enforcement agencies surrounded a house on Eastern Avenue in Connersville where it was believed Lakes was hiding. However, Lakes was not found.
It was discovered the house had hidden rooms and crawl spaces.
Next, Lakes was arrested in Union County on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 8. However, Lakes freed himself from the handcuffs and stole a Union County Sheriff’s Deputy’s pickup truck from a gas station in Liberty. Inside the pickup was the deputy’s firearm.
The pickup was recovered at Shelbyville later that Tuesday night.
On Friday Dec. 2, a search warrant was served at a large log cabin off U.S. 52 east of Andersonville with the hopes of finding Lakes. While officers did not find Lakes, they allegedly found a large amount of methamphetamine and arrested the house’s occupants, Jeremy and Casey Wells.
Jeremy, age 39, and Casey, age 32, were both charged with Possession of Methamphetamine as a level 4 felony.
Among the charges Lakes faces in Franklin County from a 2021 case are:
Dealing Methamphetamine, a level 3 felony
Possession of Methamphetamine, a level 5 felony
Battery with Bodily Injury to a Public Safety Official, a level 5 felony
Resisting Law Enforcement, a level 6 felony
If convicted of a level 3 felony, Lakes could face up to 16 years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines.
In Union County, Lakes charges include: Escape, as a Level 5 Felony; and Auto Theft, as a Level 6 Felony.
More information will be posted as it becomes available.