VAN BUREN, Ark. — UPDATE: According to Cpt. Pevehouse with the Sebastian County Sheriff's Office, the FBI contacted SCSO and asked that Juan Pablo Flores be released from custody.
"SCSO took all necessary steps on the evening of 9-3-20 to confirm the warrant and confirm the identity of the person named on the warrant," Pevehouse wrote in a statement. "Also, SCSO spoke with the FBI case agent on the phone at the time of the traffic stop and the agent said they wanted Flores arrested."
Flores was released from custody at 3 pm today.
According to Fores' family, Flores is distraught about what happened. His family also said Flores had been arrested by a couple of other police agencies for the same assumption but always let go. The family said they are distraught that this keeps happening.
ORIGINAL STORY:
A traffic stop lead to an arrest of a supposed Illinois bank robbery suspect in Sebastian County Thursday (Sept 3) afternoon according to the Sebastian County Sheriff's Office (SCSO).
According to a media release, a SCSO Deputy pulled over a pickup truck and trailer on Rogers Avenue because the trailer's tags were not readable and the rear lights on the trailer were not working.
The media release stated that the deputy identified the driver as Juan Pablo Flores, 41, of Van Buren. The deputy ran Flores’ information and an active FBI warrant for Armed Bank Robbery out of Aurora, Illinois for Flores pulled up. The warrant also listed Flores was to be considered armed and dangerous.
The deputy took Flores into custody and took an extra step to verify information through SCSO communications and the FBI. The deputy received photos for identification and it was confirmed Flores was the suspect wanted by the FBI. An Arkansas State Police Trooper assisted the lone deputy in making the arrest.