BAY COUNTY, FL — A 36-year-old Florida man wanted for the capital sexual battery of a four-year-old child was captured in Louisiana on Wednesday following an interstate manhunt aided by license plate recognition technology and federal marshals, authorities announced.
Jeffrey Alan Howard, 36, was taken into custody in Amite City, Louisiana, by the U.S. Marshals Service Task Force. He is currently awaiting extradition back to Florida to face a charge of Capital Sexual Battery.
Investigation and Standoff in Bay County
The investigation began on Friday, July 31, 2026, when deputies with the Bay County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) responded to a report of sexual abuse involving a four-year-old female. Investigators with the Criminal Investigations Division – Crimes Against Children unit took over the case and conducted an interview with the child at the Gulf Coast Children’s Advocacy Center.
Based on findings from the interview and physical evidence, detectives established probable cause to charge Howard with Capital Sexual Battery.
During the early morning hours of Saturday, August 1, 2026, investigators went to Howard’s residence to take him into custody. Howard refused to answer the door or make contact with law enforcement. After deputies temporarily departed to obtain a formal arrest warrant, Howard fled his residence and left Bay County.
FLOCK Camera Tracking and Louisiana Capture
Investigators utilized the Bay County Sheriff’s Office FLOCK Safety camera system to identify Howard’s vehicle and track his movements as he fled the area. Digital leads indicated Howard had traveled west to New Orleans, Louisiana.
On Wednesday, August 5, 2026, BCSO detectives forwarded intelligence regarding Howard’s whereabouts to the U.S. Marshals Service Task Force in New Orleans.
Federal agents discovered Howard had recently checked out of a local hotel and tracked his vehicle to Tangipahoa Parish. U.S. Marshals intercepted Howard driving near the intersection of Interstate 55 and Louisiana Highway 16 in Amite City, Louisiana, where he was arrested without incident.
Agency Statement: The Bay County Sheriff’s Office expressed appreciation to the Gulf Coast Children’s Advocacy Center for forensic interview support and credited the U.S. Marshals Service for their swift coordination in apprehending the fleeing suspect.