Escapee on most-wanted list

A gang member who escaped from the Sunnyside, Wash., city jail in November has been added to the U.S. Marshals Service’s 15 Most Wanted list.

Aaron Lopez Garcia escaped from jail on Nov. 30, 2006, with three other inmates.

The other three inmates were captured, but Garcia is still at large.

“We only have to get lucky once. He has to get lucky over and over,” U.S. Marshal Jim Batey said of the hunt for Garcia.

The U.S. Marshals Service is offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to Garcia’s capture but warn that he is likely armed with a concealed weapon.

Garcia was last known to be in Colorado but is believed to be within a day’s drive of Washington state, Batey said.

“They stay on the 15 Most Wanted until they’re caught,” Batey said.

When someone is captured, there is an opening on the list and a call goes out for submissions.

There are a number of reasons Garcia was chosen, he said.

“Federal escapes are a Marshals priority,” he said, adding that the seriousness of Garcia’s crimes was another factor.

“We consider him to be armed and dangerous,” Batey said.

Garcia was most recently convicted in federal court of possessing an illegal firearm after a 2005 traffic stop in which the vehicle Garcia was a passenger in almost caused a collision. When police stopped the car, they saw a handgun on the floor beside Garcia.

According to the U.S. marshals, Garcia is a member of the Nortenos gang and has been involved in criminal activity since he was a child.

Past convictions include illegal firearms possession, robbery, domestic violence, assault, burglary and drug possession.

His age is unknown because he has used two different birthdates – one would make him 29, the other 24. Garcia has also gone by the aliases of Aaron Lopez and Ismael Chavez.

He is Hispanic, 5 feet, 8 inches tall and 185 pounds with brown hair and black eyes. He has the word “Nortenos” tattooed on his chest.

Anyone with information about Garcia’s whereabouts is asked to call (800) 336-0102.