The Lady Lake Police Department has apprehended Donald Eugene Fields II, one of the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives.
Fields was apprehended Saturday, following a routine traffic stop conducted by Sgt. Michelle Bilbrey. The arrest took place at approximately 9:15 a.m. at the intersection of U.S. Hwy. 27/441 and Rolling Acres Road.
Sgt. Bilbrey discovered that the vehicle’s license plate was not registered to the car Fields was driving. This proactive policing effort resulted in the identification and capture of Fields, who is facing federal charges of child sex trafficking and state charges of child rape. Fields had been added to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list in May 2023.
Police Chief Steve Hunt commended Sgt. Bilbrey and the department for outstanding work. Bilbrey previously served as the town’s code enforcement officer and decided she wanted a career in law enforcement. She balanced her full-time job as a code enforcement officer, while she began training for her law enforcement career.
“Sometimes, an everyday traffic stop turns into a real game-changer. This is a reminder that every officer, every day, is out there making a real difference,” said Chief Hunt. “Every traffic stop is an opportunity for justice. What starts as a routine encounter can quickly turn into a pivotal moment, where an officer’s sharp instincts and dedication to service lead to a significant arrest—keeping our community and in this case, the nation, safer.”
The FBI praised the efforts of the Lady Lake Police Department.
“Thanks to proactive policing by the Lady Lake Police Department, one of the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted fugitives has been captured,” said Special Agent in Charge Ashley Johnson.
Chief Hunt, an FBI National Academy graduate, expressed his gratitude for the ongoing collaboration between the FBI and local law enforcement.
Fields, 60, was federally indicted in St. Louis on Dec. 7, 2023, for attempting to recruit and exploit a minor for commercial sex acts between January 2013 and June 2017. He also faces state charges in Missouri, including statutory rape, statutory sodomy, child molestation, and witness tampering. Fields has been a fugitive since March 2022 when he failed to appear for a court hearing in Franklin County, Missouri.
Following his arrest, Fields will be scheduled to make his first appearance in federal court in Florida.
