Fishing

Wanted: Alaska celebrity wildlife fugitive again on the run

It seems Alaska State Troopers have again lost track of former celebrity wildlife fugitive and serial violator Michael Anthony "Tony" Roberts. Alaska Wildlife Troopers announced Tuesday morning that they now urgently seek information on his whereabouts.

Roberts' location was last known early Thursday morning, Oct. 4, when Troopers were notified that his court-ordered ankle monitoring device had been tampered with. Troopers responded and found the ankle bracelet lying in the back yard of the Anchorage home of Roberts' third-party custodian. It appeared to have been cut off with a grinder.

Roberts is currently wanted on a $50,000 arrest warrant, and is facing charges in a total of seven criminal cases, including charges of guiding without a guide's license, flying without a pilot's license, driving with a revoked license and more.

The 50-year-old Roberts is 5-feet-9 inches tall, weighs 220 pounds and has balding grey hair and green eyes.

Troopers say Roberts was released from custody in February 2012 after being convicted in a Cordova court for charges related to illegal hunting.

In 1999, Roberts became something of a criminal celebrity when he led law enforcement on a multi-week manhunt after fleeing from a State Trooper arrest team. In that case, undercover officers, posing as hunting clients, had witnessed Roberts committing numerous serious wildlife offenses. Roberts has a long criminal history, including numerous wildlife and guiding offenses, driving under the influence, assault, forgery and driving without a license.

Roberts is an unlicensed pilot who frequents the Big Lake and Wasilla areas and also has spent time in Anchorage. He also frequents the Yentna and Susitna drainages as well as areas around Cordova and Yakutat.

Anyone with information concerning the current and immediate whereabouts of Tony Roberts is asked to contact the Alaska Wildlife Troopers Investigations Unit at (907) 269-5445 or Trooper dispatch at (907) 352-5401.

Craig Medred

Craig Medred is a former writer for the Anchorage Daily News, Alaska Dispatch and Alaska Dispatch News. He left the ADN in 2015.

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