April 29, 2009:
Syracuse (WSYR-TV) - About a week after he was profiled on NewsChannel 9, another Fugitive of the Week is in custody.
Police say Sean O'Rourke, 40, was given a pass from his halfway house to go for a job interview on April 11, and he never came back.
O'Rourke was arrested by U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force members in the lobby of the Genesee Grande Hotel in Syracuse at 10:30 Wednesday morning. Police say an anonymous tip led them to the hotel -- and to O'Rourke.
O'Rourke has been arrested before on several charges, including counterfeiting, drug possession and burglary.
April 22, 2009:
Original Story
Syracuse (WSYR-TV) - He's ripped off a long list of businesses using fake money -- but if you know where our Fugitive of The Week is hiding out, it could get you some authentic cash.
After serving some prison time, the convicted counterfeiter is now nowhere to be found, and police are warning you to be On The Lookout for this man so you, too, don't fall victim to his crime.
On April 11, Sean O'Rourke was given a pass for a job interview and failed to return to the halfway house in Syracuse where he was living. Now, he's wanted on an escape charge.
“He had some family ties, a few years back, along with friends. They have since disappeared. We're concerned because this is the way he made his living, passing 100 dollar bills,” says Fugitive Task Force Supervisor Joe Ciciarelli.
The Fugitive Task Force says retailers, especially, should be on the lookout for O'Rourke, who they describe as a skilled counterfeiter. Police say he would typically walk into a store with a fake $100 bill and use that bill to buy small items. He would then pocket the real change.
“Usually [counterfeiters] do it in a very busy location, so people are unaware,” says Ciciarelli, who also says O’Rourke could be hiding out in Onondaga County, or a county close by.
The Fugitive Task Force is working with the Secret Service. If they find O'Rourke, they plan to question him about some very recent counterfeiting cases.
O'Rourke is 40-years-old, is approximately 5' 7" and 180 pounds, with brown eyes and brown hair.
O'Rourke's criminal history includes more than just counterfeiting. He's no stranger to burglary and drug charges as well.
