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A man wanted by Alaska Wildlife Troopers on a $50,000 arrest warrant after removing an ankle monitor and fleeing from his court-approved third-party custodian’s home last week has been taken into custody.
Alaska State Troopers spokesperson Beth Ipsen says 50-year-old Michael Anthony Roberts, also known as Tony Roberts, was arrested at a Big Lake home at about 10:15 a.m. Wednesday. An AST dispatch says troopers received an anonymous tip that Roberts was at the home; he was taken into custody after troopers obtained a search warrant and entered the home.
"We found Tony Roberts underneath the bed," Lt Bernard Chastain with the Wildlife Investigation Unit said, "hiding in one of the beds, hiding from troopers."
According to wildlife troopers, Roberts had been released from custody in February following his conviction in Cordova on charges of illegally taking a moose on the same day he was airborne.
Troopers received a tampering alert from Roberts’ ankle monitoring device early Thursday. Officers responding to his custodian’s home found that the monitor had been cut off with a grinder, and warrant for contempt of court was then issued for Roberts’ arrest.
Troopers say this is the second time Roberts has run from the law.
"In 1999 he lead Alaska Wildlife Troopers on a manhunt for several weeks in the Talkeetna area," Chastain said, "and this was a result of an undercover guiding sting."
Since that arrest troopers say Roberts has had numerous run-ins with the law including convictions for drunk driving and failing to pay child support.
Roberts faces charges in seven criminal cases, including guiding without a license, flying without a pilot’s license and driving with a revoked driver’s license.
Troopers say Roberts is expected to be arraigned on Thursday on additional charges, including contempt of court for cutting off his ankle monitor.
He is being held at Mat-Su Pretrail Facility.
Contact Chris Klint