The U.S. Marshals got their man a couple of times recently.
A Waycross man wanted for Failure to Surrender for Sentence and Bond Violation for a 2005 conviction was arrested on Tybee Island by the United States Marshals and the Tybee Police Department on August 22.
Mark Ashley Griffin, 37, was wanted by the U.S. Marshals Service in a warrant issued in 2006 for Failure to Surrender to serve a sentence and Bond Violation. Griffin was convicted in U.S. District Court in Waycross, Georgia for Conspiracy to distribute, possession with intent to distribute, and manufacture in excess of 50 grams of cocaine base (crack).
Griffin was sentenced to serve 110 months in federal prison in December 2005. Griffin was allowed to self-surrender to the Federal Prison in Jesup, Georgia in January 2006. Griffin failed to surrender and has been on the run since the date of conviction.
Information was generated early on that said Griffin fled the country to an island that did not have an extradition treaty with the United States.
Griffin's luck ran out on August 22, when the U.S. Marshals Savannah office and the Tybee Island Police department located him in an apartment a 13 Izlar Street on Tybee. Griffin had gone to great lengths to hide his true identity by using the alias of Dave Van Guard, had grown out his hair and dyed it blond, covered his distinctive tattoos with new tattoos and worked on a cash basis. Griffin had nothing in his name.
Griffin had taken on the proverbial "surfer dude" look, totally opposite of his 2005 appearance. Griffin has laid low for the last almost eight years and never surfaced to the attention of law enforcement on Tybee Island other than being seen all over the island. Griffin even taught surfing lessons to the children on the island. An anonymous tip said Griffin was in the area of 16th/17th Streets on Tybee Island.
The task force set up surveillance in the area and observed Griffin come out of the Izlar address. Marshals went to the address and arrested Griffin without incident. Griffin was transported to the McIntosh County jail to await his court appearance on the outstanding charges.
Also, a Savannah man wanted for Federal Supervised Release Violation by the United States Marshals Service was arrested in Long County, Georgia by the U.S. Marshals, the Long County Sheriff's Department, and the Georgia Department of Corrections K-9 unit last week.
Wesley Mark Miller, 32, of Savannah was wanted based on a 2003 methamphetamine conviction. Miller was convicted in 2003 for Conspiracy to manufacture, possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of methamphetamine. He was sentenced to a 120 month sentence to be followed by 5 years of supervised release. His supervised release was previously revoked in April 2012. His current supervised release term began in September 2012.
The current warrant stemmed from an incident in Effingham County on July 13, 2013, when deputies conducted a traffic stop and as the deputy walked up to the window, Miller sped off. A chase ensued and Miller ended up losing control of the vehicle and crashed into several utilities poles. Miller was taken to Memorial Hospital with numerous injuries. At some time during his medical treatment, Miller left the hospital and had been on the run ever since.
Leads were generated that led to a possible location off Marcus Noble Road in Long County, Georgia. Marshals Task Force members, along with the Long County Sheriff's Department, and the GA DOC K-9 unit went to a trailer in Long County and arrested Miller without incident. Miller was transported to the Liberty County to await his court proceedings.
