Disappearance solved – fugitive arrested

On September 26, 2013, Historic City News reported that John Charles Price, who resided at 3335 Pacetti Road in St Johns County, had been taken into custody on an arrest warrant alleging 50-counts of possession of child pornography. Four days later, Price was released after posting $255,000 bond.

Then, on October 3, 2014, three days before he was scheduled for an appearance in State Court to answer for those charges, Price made an emergency call to 911 operators to report that he had injured himself while fishing under the SR-206 bridge. Police responded, but Price could not be located.

The 49-year-old Price, who mysteriously disappeared under suspicious circumstances two months ago, was located by the US Marshal Service Task Force early this afternoon. He was taken into custody by the task force and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office at 1:45 p.m. today after he was located at a hardware store on SR-40.

Local Major Crimes Unit detectives believed that Price made the 911 call October 3 in an attempt to fake his own death in order to avoid prosecution on the child pornography charges.

The Task Force developed information that Price was alive and well and hiding out in campgrounds in the area of the Ocala National Forest. Investigators began conducting surveillance in the area. Price was located and arrested, without incident, as he was leaving the hardware store.

Price was booked into the Marion County Jail, where he is being held without bond. He is being transferred to St Johns County to face the former and additional new charges.