Thursday, August 25, 2011

Escaped international drug dealer on the run

WANTED BY U.S. MARSHALS


Sean Vanle
Sean Vanle
 
A member of an international marijuana and money-laundering ring escaped from a Maryland prison, and U.S. marshals deputies are asking the public to help find him.

Sean Vanle, who is also known as Sean Cao, walked away from the federal minimum security prison in Cumberland in 2006, and authorities have not spotted him since. Supervisory Inspector Matt Burke said the U.S. Marshals Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force could use some help in locating the 33-year-old fugitive. Vanle was serving an eight-year-plus sentence.

"Investigators have put in a lot of work to locate Vanle but could use some assistance in closing this case," Burke said. "It's time for Vanle to finish paying his penalty."

Vanle was convicted of distributing more than 200 pounds of marijuana and transporting millions of dollars in U.S. currency in 2004. The crew was based in Toronto, with cells operating in Hagerstown, Detroit, Boston, Ohio, Tennessee, Mississippi and California. 

Vanle was born in Vietnam by the name Choung Cao. He still has strong family ties in Frederick, and connections in Silver Spring, Rockville, Vienna, Va., and Pascagoula, Miss.

He has extensive experience working in nail salons and may be doing that now, Burke said.
Vanle is listed as 5-foot-6 and 170 pounds and has a distinctive tattoo of a cherub on his right shoulder.
If anyone has any information regarding Vanle's whereabouts, please contact the U.S. Marshals Task Force at 301-489-1717.

Since the weekly "Most Wanted" feature began three years ago, readers of The Washington Examiner have helped police capture 34 fugitives, including convicted murderers, kidnappers, sex offenders and con artists.
The Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force, run by the U.S. Marshals Service, is composed of 30 federal, state and local agencies from Baltimore to Norfolk. The unit has captured more than 33,000 wanted fugitives since its creation in 2004.
smccabe@washingtonexaminer.com