By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

A 44-year-old Bahamian woman has been charged in a Florida court with aiding the escape of a man wanted for more than a dozen sexual offences in Osceola County. On Friday Patrice Smith Bullard was charged with being an accessory after the fact. Investigators allege that she helped 70-year-old Loomes Wheeler escape to the Bahamas.

After being on the run for nearly a year, Wheeler was arrested on Saturday in George Town, Exuma, by Drug Enforcement Unit Officers. He was wanted for nine counts of capital sexual battery, four counts of lewd and lascivious conduct and three counts of sexual performance by a child.

According to international reports, during the search for Wheeler detectives said they obtained information that his former business associate, Patrice Smith Bullard, helped him leave the country and provided him with a few names and phone numbers of individuals she knew in the Bahamas.

One of the names was Bullard’s ex-husband, with whom Wheeler was found when he was arrested, authorities said.

Wheeler told Drug Enforcement Administration agents that Bullard assisted him with leaving Osceloa County by driving him to Miami and providing him with a hotel room until an unknown man took him by boat to the Bahamas.

On April 15 authorities said Bullard was brought in for questioning and provided inconsistent statements to investigators. Based on the information a felony warrant was obtained for her arrest. Two days later, with the assistance of the US Marshal’s Service, Bullard was found in Ft Lauderdale, attempting to take a flight to the Bahamas.

DEU officers were in the midst of an unrelated marijuana investigation in Exuma when they stumbled across the 70-year-old Wheeler, who attempted to change his appearance.

Initially he provided Bahamian police with false information. They took him into custody until they were able to verify who he was. He was arrested and deported and is currently being held without bail.