Tenn. fugitive and father of missing N.J. kids arrested together in Florida
NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. - A fugitive on Tennessee's most wanted list was captured in Florida Wednesday, and authorities say he was with a New Jersey man wanted for taking his sons during a custody dispute.
Edward William Tarras, Jr., 39, who is facing two dozen sex charges in Tennessee, allegedly cut off his ankle monitoring his bracelet and fled the state on Aug. 15, 2014. A joint investigation between New Jersey, Tennessee, Florida and federal investigators determined that he was with his 36-year-old friend Kristopher Dohm in the New Port Richey area of Florida, according to a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation statement.
Authorities say Dohm left New Jersey with his two sons, ages 7 and 8, in violation of a custody agreement in early February. Their mother reported them missing on Feb. 9 after Dohm failed to bring the children to her Roxbury Township home.
Around 10:20 p.m. Wednesday, Tarras and Dohm were arrested at the Royal Palm Inn in New Port Richey. The two children were also found safe.
Tarras was wanted by the Smyrna Police Department and the TBI after failing to appear in court on one count of rape, two counts of sexual battery, 19 counts of especially aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor, and one count of sexual exploitation of a minor over 100 times, according to the TBI. He was added to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation's Top Ten Most Wanted list on August 19, 2014.
Dohm is accused of interference with custody and unlawful flight.
Tarras and Dohm were taken into custody, and Dohm's two sons were placed with child protection investigators, according to the TBI. According to a Facebook page created after the children disappeared, the boys' mother, Sandra Dohm, was headed to Florida to get her sons.
Both Tarras and Dohm were being held without bond.