KTIV NewsChannel 4 Sioux City IA: News, Weather and SportsFmr. prosecutor to fugitives: 'You can run, but you can't hide'

Fmr. prosecutor to fugitives: 'You can run, but you can't hide'

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KTIV) - Each year, 34,000 federal fugitives are taken into custody by U.S. marshals.  The arrest of two Siouxland natives in Las Vegas last December puts closure to one a six year court battle turned 20 year pursuit for justice.

"You can run but you can't hide," was the reaction from former Assistant U.S. District Attorney.

Hobart helped prosecute Donald Earles and Catherine Papajohn, both found guilty of setting fire to their town's only grocery store in Sloan, Iowa back in 1989.

"It was a very traumatic experience for everybody," he remembers.

A judge threw out grand jury testimony made by Earles's son against his father. It took Hobart, who is now the mayor of Sioux City, six years to get a conviction.  In addition to arson, both were found guilty of mail fraud, and fraudulently collecting the insurance money on the store owned, by Papajohn.

In August of 1999, Earles failed to appear at his sentencing.  Papajohn, who was sentenced that December, was out on bond appealing her conviction.  The two skipped town.  Authorities thought they were in Canada, but they were caught in Las Vegas.

"I just would like to compliment the U.S. Marshals service.  They really stayed on this case for a long time," said Hobart.

The fugitives tried to obtain false Nevada drivers licenses and were arrested.  Earles, who is now 70 years old, pleaded guilty to failure to appear and is awaiting sentencing on the charge.  He'll also be sentenced for the mail fraud and arson conviction handed down to him more than a decade ago.  He faces another 15 years in prison.

Because Papajohn had already been sentenced when she fled, she is currently serving out her 27 month prison term.

Both still face state charges in Nevada.

Reporter: Kristen Johnson