United States Attorney
Northern District of Texas

1100 Commerce St., 3rd Fl.
Dallas, Texas 75242-1699

Telephone (214) 659-8600
Fax (214) 767-0978

ODESSA, TEXAS, MAN PLEADS GUILTY
TO FEDERAL FIREARMS CHARGE

Defendant Ran Into Abilene High School To Evade Arrest

Mark Russell McKee, 24, of Odessa, Texas, pled guilty today in federal court in Lubbock, Texas, to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Richard B. Roper. McKee has been in custody since his arrest in May after fleeing from Abilene Police Officers and running into Abilene High School, causing evacuation of the school. McKee fled after he was stopped by officers while they were in search of suspects suspected of fencing stolen property from both the Dallas-Fort Worth area and the Odessa-Midland, Texas, areas.

McKee, a convicted felon, faces an agreed 10-year federal prison term. The parties agree that any sentence in this federal case will run concurrent with any sentence that might be imposed by the Taylor County District Attorney’s Office for charges arising from the April 17, 2006 events. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

On April 17, 2006, detectives with the Abilene Police Department (APD) received information that the occupants of red newer-model Chevrolet Camaro with a spare (doughnut) tire installed on rear driver’s side wheel were involved in fencing stolen property. The detectives began searching for the vehicle and located it at Rick and Carolyn’s Burgers, located on South First Street in Abilene. The officers observed the vehicle and later saw an individual later identified as Mark Russell McKee and a female enter the vehicle and leave the restaurant. McKee was driving the vehicle and the female was in the front passenger seat.

Shortly thereafter, the detectives attempted to detain McKee by positioning one unmarked police vehicle in front of McKee’s Camaro and another unmarked police vehicle blocking the Camaro from the rear. The detectives exited their unmarked units, identified themselves as APD officers, and ordered McKee to kill the vehicle. McKee began to comply with the detectives’ commands and then suddenly accelerated the vehicle in the direction of one of the detectives. The detective jumped to the side to avoid McKee’s vehicle while McKee jumped the curb to avoid the roadblock and drove eastbound on South First Street. McKee then encountered a marked APD police unit with its red and blue emergency lights activated. McKee went around the APD patrol unit and turned northbound onto Shelton Street. APD pursued McKee to the 200 block of North Shelton Street, where they discontinued pursuit because McKee was headed towards Abilene High School at a time when the school day was ending.

McKee proceeded to Abilene High School where he abandoned the Camaro and grabbed a Colt, Model Cobra, .38 special caliber revolver, then fled through the school and later escaped from the officers by vehicle. McKee, a convicted felon, admitted that he knowingly possessed the aforementioned firearm, and used it to facilitate his escape from APD officers.

U.S. Attorney Roper praised the investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Abilene Police Department, the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office, the Midland Police Department, and the Odessa Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey R. Haag of the Lubbock, Texas, U.S. Attorney’s Office.

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