A man who escaped from a federal corrections facility on St. Croix is back in custody after about 24 hours of freedom.
Kevin Michael Zimmerman was discovered missing from the Holgar Crea Community Corrections Center on Tuesday. He was quickly profiled on a special edition of "Virgin Islands Most Wanted" on WSVI-TV Channel 8 Wednesday night; residents recognized him and reported his whereabouts first to St. Croix police and eventually to U.S. marshals.
A team of deputy U.S. marshals and V.I. police officers took Zimmerman into custody without incident at the King Christian Hotel around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday. He reportedly had checked in during the day.
U.S. Marshal for the Virgin Islands Conrad Hoover said in a statement Thursday that the rapid arrest of the fugitive once again highlights the effectiveness of a community that is willing to work with law enforcement. Hoover said "the message is clear that fugitives from justice will not be tolerated in the Virgin Islands."
Hoover's statement did not mention why Zimmerman was serving time. The corrections center on St. Croix is a facility under contract with the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.