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Although crimes (except for murder) have statutes of limitation, once an arrest warrant has been issued and if its in the computer the person named in the warrant may be arrested at anytime. If the case was taken to the grand jury and you were indicted then there is no statute of limitations, and you cannot defeat the charge by staying on the lam.

The prosecutor may decline to pursue the case because witnesses have died and/or evidence is lost, but one cannot automatically escape a felony prosecution simply by staying out of the hands of the cops for an extended period of time once a warrant (supported by a sworn affidavit/complaint) has been issued.

For instance, in 1971, D.B. Cooper hijacked and threatened to blow up an airliner, extorted $200,000 from its owner, Northwest Orient, then leaped from the airborne 727 with 21 pounds of $20 bills strapped to his torso.

That warrant is still in the computer and if he's found he will most certainly be prosecuted. The statute of limitations - five years for Federal crimes - only applies when no suspect has been indicted. Even if there is no such person as DB Cooper, he was indicted under that alias, and that's what matters.

And if you were indicted for interstate flight to avoid prosecution (a federal charge) you will have to face the music no matter when you're caught.

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16y ago

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