Steven Craig Johnson, a fugitive who escaped from an Oregon prison nearly 30 years ago, was captured in Georgia on July 16, 2023. Now 70 years old, Johnson had been living under a false identity, having stolen the name of a deceased child, William Cox, to evade law enforcement. His escape from Mill Creek Correctional Facility in Oregon occurred on November 29, 1994, while he was serving a sentence for sexual abuse and sodomy. The prison, which was closed in 2021, was known for its minimum security and housed inmates close to their release dates.
Johnson's criminal history raised significant concerns, as he was identified as a pedophile with a high probability of victimizing children. Authorities issued a warrant for his arrest shortly after his escape, and in 2015, the U.S. Marshals Service reopened the case at the request of the Oregon Department of Corrections. Thanks to advancements in investigative technology, new leads emerged that ultimately led to Johnson's capture in an apartment complex in Macon, Georgia, where he had been living since 2011.
Following his arrest, Johnson was taken to Bibb County Jail in Georgia and is awaiting extradition back to Oregon. His case highlights ongoing issues related to fugitive management and the challenges of tracking individuals who have successfully evaded law enforcement for decades. The closure of the Mill Creek facility, a decision made by former Governor Kate Brown to reduce incarceration costs, underscores the complexities of prison reform and public safety.
- The Mill Creek Correctional Facility, which opened in 1929, was initially an agricultural annex to the Oregon State Penitentiary. It closed its doors in 2021, part of a larger initiative to reform the state's sentencing practices and reduce reliance on incarceration. Governor Kate Brown's administration aimed to save over $44 million and redirect resources towards preventive measures in the criminal justice system.
- Johnson's arrest serves as a reminder of the importance of continuous monitoring of high-risk offenders and the need for effective identity verification processes to prevent similar cases of identity theft and evasion in the future. The use of new technologies in law enforcement has proven crucial in solving cold cases and tracking down fugitives.
