U.S. Marshals Seeking Bribery Fugitive Leonard Francis, AKA Fat Leonard

San Diego, CA – The U.S. Marshals San Diego Fugitive Task Force is actively searching for Leonard Francis, also known as "Fat Leonard," the military contractor who pleaded guilty in 2015 of bribing Navy officials and was on home-confinement in San Diego weeks before he was scheduled to be sentenced in a $35 million bribery scandal, allegedly cut off his GPS monitor and left his home on the morning of Sept. 4. 

U.S. Pretrial Services, the federal agency in charge of monitoring his home confinement, received an alert that his GPS ankle monitor was being tampered with. Upon following their protocols, Pretrial Services notified the U.S. Marshals about the GPS alert.

Members of the San Diego Fugitive Task Force went to Francis' residence, in an attempt to locate him. After announcing themselves, task force officers made entry into the residence through an unlocked door. After a thorough check of the residence, officers were unable to locate Francis. Officers were able to locate the GPS ankle monitor that had been cut off.

His current whereabouts are unknown.

Anyone with information on Francis' whereabouts should contact the U.S. Marshals at 877-926-8332. Anonymous tips may also be submitted via the USMS Tips App.

The U.S. Marshals Service is responsible for over 120,000 fugitive arrests annually, arresting both federal fugitives as well as supporting state and local law enforcement agencies with apprehending dangerous fugitives across the nation and internationally.