Pennsylvania Fugitives Nabbed in Florida

A fugitive couple from Pennsylvania were arrested today in Florida by a task force that included the FBI, U.S. Marshal's Office and the St. Petersburg Police.

According to detectives, Victor James Santarelli, 46, and Tamara Santarelli, 44, had been found guilty of mail and wire fraud, as well as conspiracy to defraud the estate of a deceased aunt.

The couple was arrested at the Flamingo Motel in Clearwater.

Deputies assigned to the U.S. Marshal's Taks Force, initially pursuing a tip on
an "America's Most Wanted" case, conducted a separate and unrelated
investigation that led to the arrest of two fugitives from Pennsylvania.

The investigation led them to the Flamingo Motel - where they made contact
with a subject, later identified as 46-year-old Victor J. Santarelli.

The subject told deputies he had no identification and provided deputies with
multiple dates of birth.

In an effort to positively identify the subject, investigators asked the
subject to provide fingerprints and have a photograph taken to be run through
the Sheriff's Automated Fingerprint Identification System and Facial
Recognition System.

The subject was cooperative and agreed to do so. No matches were found in Florida.

Deputies subsequently contacted the FBI to review the national database, and
the individual was identified as Victor Santarelli wanted out of Pennsylvania.
Detectives and members of SES subsequently arrested the suspect and his wife
44-year-old Tamara Santarelli, who also had an outstanding warrant from
Pennsylvania.

The two were transported to the Pinellas County Jail without further incident.