DEFUNIAK SPRINGS, Fla. — A fugitive wanted out of Okaloosa County was arrested July 21 in DeFuniak Springs during an operation by the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS).
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The Walton County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) said the U.S. Marshals Florida Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force arrested 44-year-old Matthew Warren Sweeney. Mr Sweeney was reportedly taken into custody at his residence on Gershwin Drive on an active warrant tied to multiple felony charges out of Okaloosa County, including fleeing and eluding law enforcement.
Task force members reported that Mr Sweeney was located inside the main residence and arrested without incident.
During a search of the property, law enforcement reportedly found a .22 caliber rifle and methamphetamine in a shed said to have been commonly used by Sweeney.
In addition to the out-of-county warrant, Mr Sweeney is said to have been charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of narcotic paraphernalia, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
The U.S. Marshals Florida Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force includes law enforcement officers from the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, Bay County Sheriff’s Office, Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, Panama City Police Department, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
