For Immediate Release - October 22, 2008

Two More Most Wanted Sex Offenders in Custody

Five of the State's Top Ten Most Wanted Sex Offenders Have Been Captured

Two more of the state's most wanted sex offenders, both of them previously convicted of molesting children, are in custody after one of them was recently arrested for robbery in Mexico City and another turned himself in to a Superior Court Probation Department.

Massachusetts State Police had previously tracked JELANI BAKER, 28 (D.O.B. 11/2/79), to Mexico and advised United States deputy marshals there of his possible whereabouts. Last week, State Police were notified that BAKER was arrested by local police in Mexico City for an alleged robbery.

Mexican authorities learned of BAKER's outstanding warrants for failure to register as a sex offender, carrying a dangerous weapon, possession of marijuana and lewd conduct, as well as his status as one of Massachusetts' Top Ten Sex Offenders, and began deportation proceedings. On Oct. 18, BAKER was deported from Mexico and sent to New Jersey, where he is being held by Newark port authority police. Members of the Massachusetts State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section (VFAS) will go to New Jersey in the near future to take him into custody and return him to the Bay State to answer to the charges.

BAKER is currently wanted by Somerville Police for failing to register as a sex offender, carrying a dangerous weapon, and possession of a class D substance, and by Transit Police for lewd and lascivious conduct. BAKER was previously convicted of indecent assault and battery on a child and lewd and lascivious conduct, and was classified as a High Risk Level 3 offender by the Sex Offender Registry Board (SORB).

Another High Risk Level 3 sex offender, WILLIAM E. HARVEY 3d, 43 (D.O.B. 9/18/65), surrendered Monday to the Probation Department at Suffolk Superior Court. State Police believe HARVEY left his residence in Springfield on or around Oct. 9, the day the state released and publicized its newest list of Top Ten Most Wanted Sex Offenders. A Suffolk Superior Court clerk ordered him held on $500,000 cash bail for violating his probation from a previous conviction.

HARVEY was previously convicted of raping a child and, in addition to his probation violation, is currently wanted for failure to register as a sex offender and violating the Abuse Prevention Act.

BAKER and HARVEY are the fourth and fifth High Risk Level 3 sex offenders on the current Most Wanted list to be taken into custody.

On Oct. 10, ERIC CONALTY, 38 (D.O.B. 2/ 10/70), was captured in Lake Jackson, Texas, after local police were directed to his parents' house by VFAS troopers and deputy US marshals. CONALTY is wanted on warrants out of Essex County charging him with committing unnatural acts with a child under 16 and failure to register as a sex offender. He was previously convicted of indecent assault and battery on a child and contributing to the delinquency of a child.

Also on Oct. 10, SHAYNE SAMPSON, 48 (D.O.B. 3/1/60), turned himself in at Clinton District Court. SAMPSON is wanted in Worcester County for violating conditions of his probation from a prior conviction for indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, disseminating obscene material to a minor, and open and gross lewdness. He is also wanted by Clinton Police Department for violating the Abuse Prevention Act and by the Worcester Police Department for failure to register as a sex offender.

Another High Risk Level 3 offender on state's Most Wanted list, EDWARD BUENO, 34 (D.O.B. 2/26/74), was captured Aug. 28 in Portsmouth, Virginia, after an investigation by the State Police VFAS, US Marshals, and authorities in Virginia and Florida. BUENO was wanted in Essex County for fleeing the state after his conviction for statutory rape and indecent assault and battery on a child, and also for failure to register as a sex offender. He has been returned to Massachusetts for prosecution.

State Police and SORB released the state's current Most Wanted Sex Offender list earlier this month. In addition to the five who have been captured, the list included these High Risk Level 3 offenders:

  • RYAN E. LOVELL, 24, previously convicted for assault and battery on a child and currently wanted for failure to register as a sex offender;
  • STEVEN M. COOPER, 41, previously convicted of rape and currently wanted for failure to register as a sex offender and rape;
  • JOSE A. DAVILA, 38, previously convicted of statutory rape and indecent assault and battery on a child and currently wanted for failure to register as a sex offender and trespassing;
  • ANGEL MARTINEZ, 42, previously convicted of rape of a child, indecent assault and battery, and posing a child in the nude and currently wanted for failure to register as a sex offender, statutory rape of a child, and posing a child in the nude; and
  • ANTHONY D. SIMMONS, 38, previously convicted of indecent assault and battery on a child and currently wanted for failure to register as a sex offender and violating his probation from his previous conviction.

The list can be viewed at www.mass.gov/msp/wanted/sexoffenders/wanted-sexoffenders.htm.