Public Safety

Partnership With TV Station Leads to Fugitive Arrests

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Two wanted felons were arrested in San Diego County last week, thanks to a new collaboration between County Probation, the U.S. Marshal’s Fugitive Task Force Team and San Diego 6 news station. Probation provided the names of the wanted men to the Marshal, which worked with the station on a new regular TV news segment called San Diego Fugitive of the Week. Viewers called in tips after profiles of the felons aired, leading to their arrests.

The task force arrested Bobby Glen Borja, 53, on March 4 in El Cajon on a Probation-issued arrest warrant. Borja has been in and out of prison for various criminal offenses including a 1990 sexual assault of a child and failure to register as a sex offender.

Within a few days, viewer tips also directed police to another wanted man, Lonnie Brown, 65, featured on the show. Probation had also issued a warrant for his arrest. Brown’s past crimes included child molestation in the 1970s and again in the early 1990s.

Both offenders came under the Probation Department’s supervision following Public Safety Realignment, the shift of responsibility for certain offenders from the state to counties.

     RELATED: Video: What is Realignment?

Supervising Probation Officer David Joralemon said Probation is very pleased with both captures. Probation is a long-standing partner with the U.S. Marshal’s Office and has had a probation officer assigned to its Fugitive Task Force since its inception in 1994.

Joralemon spoke to the news station about Borja’s capture just prior to Brown’s capture in a segment that aired Sunday.

“In spite of the comprehensive services and rehabilitative programs provided to him, his compliance level deteriorated,” said Joralemon. “The message that this would send to other probationers is if you are under supervision in San Diego County, and you are choosing to violate your conditions of release, you will be apprehended and you will be brought back before the court to answer for those violations.”

The Fugitive of the Week show airs Sunday nights at 10 p.m. on San Diego 6.

Yvette Urrea Moe is a communications specialist with the County of San Diego Communications Office. Contact