Fugitive sex offender arrested in Naples after hiding in woods

NAPLES, Fla. (WINK)— A twice-convicted sex offender wanted in Pennsylvania was found hiding in the woods behind a Naples home and arrested by U.S. Marshals.

Joseph Christopher Mazzoni, 46, was apprehended on the morning of May 13 after investigators executed a search warrant in the 2300 block of Crawford Avenue. Mazzoni had been wanted since March 9 by the Pennsylvania State Police and Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office for dissemination of child sex acts and sexual abuse material.

Mazzoni was previously convicted of possession of child pornography in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. The conviction resulted in him being categorized as a Tier 3 Sex Offender and carries a lifetime requirement to register residency under Megan's Law.

Marshals believed Mazzoni was living in Florida and receiving assistance to avoid detection from law enforcement. After a thorough search of the property, investigators found him living in the woods behind the residence.

"The U.S. Marshals Service has zero tolerance for sexual predators preying on children; as Mr. Mazzoni learned, going entirely off of the grid in a different state offers no respite from the relentless pursuit of justice," said Eric Gartner, United States Marshal for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Mazzoni was transported to the Collier County jail, where he awaits extradition back to Pennsylvania.

The investigation included members of the U.S. Marshals Service in Pennsylvania and Florida, Homeland Security Investigations, Pennsylvania State Police, Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office, Lee County Sheriff's Department, Fort Myers Police Department, Collier County Sheriff's and Florida Department of Law Enforcement.