LOCKHART

Credit: Beth Rankin

TV’s “America’s Most Wanted” has allowed Americans to help catch 846 fugitives since the show began in 1987.

The most recent fugitive to be caught was Kent State alumnus John Dallas Lockhart, after being featured on the show’s June 4 episode.

The 36-year-old Akron lawyer was on the run for nearly a year. He has been accused of child rape and the rape of a 4-month-old infant.

Lockhart graduated from Kent State in 1994 with a bachelor’s in business administration. During his tenure, Lockhart served on the Undergraduate Student Senate. After graduation, Lockhart attended Case Western Reserve University’s School of Law.

Police in Venice Beach, Calif., arrested Lockhart at his residence only two days after the popular Fox show aired. Acquaintances of Lockhart called the show and Venice Beach authorities to inform them of his whereabouts.

“It feels great anytime we apprehend a sex predator,” said northern Ohio U.S. Marshal Peter Elliott. “We like getting them off the streets. We get a reward in that.”

Lockhart now faces indictment on one count of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution, three counts of child rape, three counts of pandering sexually oriented material involving a minor and three counts of gross sexual imposition.

All the charges were brought against Lockhart on Aug. 13, 2004.

The charges followed a discovery made during routine maintenance of Lockhart’s business computer. The company alerted Akron police after finding about 100 pornographic photos on Lockhart’s hard drive.

After Lockhart heard about the police investigation, he fled to New York. In October, Lockhart ran to Venice Beach, where he was apprehended June 6.

In Venice Beach, Lockhart worked as a Web designer for a pornographic Web site.

“He did make many mistakes,” Elliott said. “He used the name Dallas Locke that wasn’t very far from his real name.”

Lockhart is expected to appear in court in Akron this week.

Contact general assignment reporter Kali Price at [email protected].