By Ken Smith
Turnagain Times
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Photo: Texas Dept. of Public Safety On Thursday, Jan. 10 Christopher Lloyd Vineyard was apprehended in Girdwood on outstanding charges for sexual assault of a child. |
In the late afternoon on Thursday, Jan. 10 a member of the Alaska Fugitive Task Force and Anchorage Police Dept. entered the Bake Shop, a popular local eatery in Girdwood, and arrested one of the bakery’s employees, Christopher Lloyd Vineyard. The fugitive was on the run from the law in Texas where there was a warrant out for him for aggravated sexual assault of a child. Vineyard was one of Texas’ Ten Most Wanted Fugitives and was already on parole after serving time in prison for burglary and aggravated burglary robbery.
According to Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal Marc Otte, Vineyard was working under an alias of Jason Nicholas, with a fake Oklahoma license, but he also maintained his legal driver’s license from Texas. The 27-year-old was arrested quietly and without incident and taken in handcuffs to a waiting squad car.
“He made the comment when he was apprehended that he knew the law was after him and that it would eventually catch up with him,” said Otte, “but he fell in love with Alaska and decided to stay.”
Otte said Vineyard’s appearance changed quite a bit from the Texas Department of Public Safety website photo.
“His hair was much longer and in dreads,” Otte said.
State Trooper Sgt. Bryan Barlow said the marshal’s office in Fairbanks contacted the Girdwood post and asked them to follow up on a lead that Vineyard was in the local area.
“We hit the streets and spoke to some of our sources, which led the marshals to him,” Barlow said.
According to Barlow, Vineyard was living with an acquaintance in town and had been in Girdwood since Oct. or Nov. Barlow approached the acquaintance, who he said was cooperative.
“I found out who the acquaintance was and through that found out where he (Vineyard) was working.”
Otte said there was no indication that Vineyard committed any crimes while in Girdwood and Alaska.
“We don’t have any suspicion of him doing any criminal activity in Alaska at all,” he said. “No new charges.”