Federal Fugitive Found Hiding Under a Bed

Late Wednesday morning, members of the U.S. Marshals–NH Joint Fugitive Task Force arrested federal fugitive James Michael Porter Jr. in Jaffrey. He was wanted on an outstanding arrest warrant for escape. 

Porter, 42, was sentenced after being convicted for a 2010 criminal case for interstate transportation of stolen property. As part of this sentence, he was serving a period of time at a halfway house in Manchester when he left the facility and failed to return at the designated time. 

Information developed by investigators led the task force to a family member’s residence on North Street in Jaffrey on Wednesday morning. During a search of this residence, Porter was located hiding under a bed and arrested without any further incident.

Porter was transported to U.S. District Court in Concord, where he was processed on the outstanding escape warrant and held pending his initial court appearance at 3:30 p.m. He will be required to complete his federal prison sentence for his prior conviction, in addition to any sentence that will be imposed on the new escape charge.

Several members of the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force, including task force officers from the Greenfield, Nashua, Derry and the Jaffrey police departments, along with deputy U.S. Marshals, participated in this investigation and arrest.