A Lower Bucks County man who allegedly slipped out of a Philadelphia hospital while in custody last month was captured Thursday night by federal authorities in Central Pennsylvania.
Shawn Dempsey, 57, was apprehended in Carlisle by the U.S. Marshals Service Eastern Pennsylvania Violent Crime Fugitive Task Force and deputies from the Middle District of Pennsylvania Fugitive Task Force.
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Dempsey, formerly of Bensalem Township and Harrisburg, was wanted for escaping from the University of Pennsylvania Hospital in the city on Jan. 27.
According to authorities, Bucks County Department of Corrections officers had transported Dempsey to the hospital for a medical appointment.
Despite signing an agreement not to leave, Dempsey fled during a medical procedure, authorities said.
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The Bucks County District Attorney’s Office issued a warrant for his escape on Jan. 29.
Last Tuesday, the Marshals Fugitive Task Force in Philadelphia was requested to assist in the search.
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Investigators developed information last Thursday suggesting Dempsey fled to Harrisburg immediately after his escape before traveling to Carlisle, officials said.
After following numerous leads, authorities believed Dempsey was frequenting a cold-weather shelter in Carlisle, Cumberland County, authorities said.
Task force members set up surveillance on the location and observed Dempsey at approximately 10 p.m. Thursday. He was arrested without incident, according to the U.S. Marshals Service.
Credit: Submitted
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Dempsey was transported to the Cumberland County Prison and is awaiting extradition to Bucks County.
“No matter the circumstances, those who escape from lawful custody must be brought back,” said Robert Clark, Supervisory Deputy Marshal for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. “The swift arrest of Shawn Dempsey demonstrates the Marshals Service stands ready to assist our local law enforcement partners at any time.”
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Dempsey, according to court records, has an criminal history in Bucks County going back years. He was in custody recently for probation and parole violations.
Dempsey pleaded guilty in 2021 to retail theft for a 2020 incident in Bensalem Township.
