An escapee, who had been missing from a Pennsylvania prison for almost four months, was apprehended as he emerged from a gym over 200 miles away.
Isaiah Tilghman, 33, was last spotted at the Blair County Prison in Hollidaysburg on December 3, 2023.
He was detained due to his involvement in drug-related crimes and for violating his parole.
According to the US Marshals Service, their officers have been actively pursuing leads on Tilghman’s whereabouts in Pennsylvania. After several months of investigation, their efforts have led them to Philadelphia in the past week.
Surveillance was conducted by Marshals at a property in the Kensington area of the city on Wednesday.
On Friday morning, they witnessed his emergence from a residence located on the 1800 block of East Schiller Street.
The officers pursued Tilghman as he made his way to a Planet Fitness located on Aramingo Avenue. In response, the Service reached out to the Philadelphia Police Department and Philly K-9 officers for additional support.
After finishing his gym session, Tilghman was suddenly confronted by a group of law enforcement officers who promptly arrested him.
“The capture of this dangerous escapee was made possible through the dedicated collaboration of the Fugitive Task Forces in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh,” stated Robert Clark, Supervisory Deputy U.S. Marshal for the Eastern Pennsylvania Fugitive Task Force, in a press release.
“The Marshals Service has a reputation for being the best in the business when it comes to locating individuals who are trying to evade capture, and this recent arrest only serves to reaffirm that. Their expertise in tracking down people who do not want to be found is unmatched.”
As of Friday afternoon, Tilghman, who was previously in custody, now faces additional charges related to his escape from an undisclosed correctional facility.
