U.S. Marshals in Tennessee Capture New York Sex Offender Wanted in Florida

Humboldt, TN – A coordinated fugitive investigation by U.S. Marshals in Florida and Tennessee has led to the arrest of Lawrence LaPlante, 68, in Humboldt, Tennessee who wanted for violating sex offender laws in Florida.

In February 2002, LaPlante was convicted in Rensselaer County, New York for sexual abuse and contact with a four-year-old minor. He was sentenced to jail time and required to register as a sex offender in the state of New York upon his release from jail.

In 2020, LaPlante left New York and moved to Kissimmee, Florida in Osceola County without registering as a sex offender as required by Florida law. On May 13, 2021, a circuit court in Osceola County issued a warrant for LaPlante’s arrest for Failure of Sexual Offender to Make Initial Report to Sheriff and Failure of Sexual Offender to report within 48 Hours of Vacating Permanent, Temporary, or Transient Residence.

The case was adopted by the U.S. Marshals Office in the Middle District of Florida who developed information that LaPlante was in West Tennessee. The U.S. Marshals Two Rivers Violent Fugitive Task Force (TRVFTF) in Jackson, Tennessee was contacted for assistance.

On May 7th, 2024, the U.S. Marshals TRVFTF arrested LaPlante at a residence on Sunset Street in Humboldt. He was transported to the Gibson County where he will await the extradition process back to Florida.

The U.S. Marshals Two Rivers Violent Fugitive Task Force is a multi-agency task force within Western Tennessee. The TRVFTF has offices in Memphis and Jackson, and its membership is primarily composed of Deputy U.S. Marshals, Shelby, Fayette, and Tipton County Sheriff’s Deputies, Memphis and Jackson Police Officers, the Tennessee Department of Correction Special Agents and the Tennessee Highway Patrol. Since 2021, the TRVFTF has captured over 2,600 violent offenders and sexual predators