MANCHESTER — A former Hazard Middle School employee wanted in Minnesota in connection with an undercover child exploitation investigation was apprehended by Manchester police after authorities tracked his cellphone to an area near Walmart.
Elmer Mitch Fields, 54, was taken into custody by Manchester Police Department Officer Andrew Jackson after a request from the Perry County Sheriff's Office to locate the fugitive.
According to authorities, Fields was wanted on a warrant from Minnesota authorizing full extradition in connection with an investigation involving alleged inappropriate communications with someone he believed to be a 15-year-old girl.
The Perry County Sheriff's Office contacted Manchester dispatch after receiving information that Fields was traveling through the area. Several law enforcement agencies in other counties had previously been notified of his movements but were unable to locate him.
A cellphone location ping eventually placed Fields near Walmart in Manchester. Jackson responded to the area, located Fields and took him into custody.
Manchester Police Chief Jeff Couch praised Jackson's quick response and the professionalism of the department.
“I'm extremely proud of the work our officers do each and every day,” Couch said. “Officer Andrew Jackson did an outstanding job locating and apprehending this individual. Several other agencies had attempted to locate him, but our officer was able to get the job done. We may be a small department, but we have dedicated officers who take their jobs seriously.
“It doesn't matter whether someone is wanted here in Clay County or halfway across the country. If they're wanted for a serious crime and come through Manchester, we're going to do everything we can to bring them to justice. That's the kind of police department we have, and I'm proud of it.”
The arrest stems from a multi-state investigation involving the Washington County Sheriff's Office in Minnesota and the Perry County Sheriff's Office in Kentucky.
According to investigators, an undercover deputy in Minnesota was operating a social media account posing as a 15-year-old girl on KIK, a messaging application that allows users to communicate anonymously.
Authorities allege Fields, who was employed as a teacher's assistant at Hazard Middle School, contacted the undercover account and initiated a conversation.
According to investigators, Fields identified himself in an initial message as a 54-year-old married male teacher and father who was home alone.
Investigators said the conversation subsequently became sexually explicit, with Fields allegedly asking the person he believed to be a teenage girl inappropriate questions about her sexual history.
Following the exchange, authorities in Minnesota contacted the Perry County Sheriff's Office, prompting a local investigation.
On Oct. 28, Perry County deputies executed search warrants in connection with the allegations. Digital evidence collected during the searches was forwarded to the Kentucky State Police Electronic Crime Laboratory for forensic examination.
Hazard Independent Schools officials were notified of the investigation Oct. 28 and subsequently posted a statement on the Hazard Middle School social media page.
Fields' apprehension in Manchester ended a search involving multiple law enforcement agencies that had been attempting to locate him as he traveled through Kentucky.
The case highlights cooperation among law enforcement agencies across state and county lines, with information originating in Minnesota ultimately leading to Fields' capture in Clay County.
The investigation remains ongoing.
Editor's note: The allegations against Fields have not been proven in court. He is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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