Fugitive Predator Hid as ‘Model College Student’ for 13 Years Before Arrest

A 44-year-old man who allegedly faked his own violent kidnapping more than a decade ago has been arrested after living under a false identity as a college student in upstate New York.

Authorities say “Justin Phillips,” an engineering science student at the State University of New York, is actually Anthony Michael Lennon — a convicted sex offender who’s been on the run for 13 years. Lennon was wanted in Oklahoma on child pornography charges and was added to the state’s “Ten Most Wanted” list in July.

Investigators say Lennon staged his own disappearance in 2012, leaving behind what appeared to be a gruesome crime scene at a hotel to make it look like he had been abducted. In reality, he vanished — only to reemerge years later as a quiet, high-achieving college student.

According to NBC Bay Area, Lennon had previously pleaded guilty to child pornography offenses after a friend discovered roughly 50 gigabytes of illegal material on his computer. When he failed to appear for sentencing, authorities launched a nationwide manhunt that stretched from Nevada to Tennessee before finally ending in Canton, New York, near the Canadian border.

Johnny L. Kuhlman, U.S. Marshal for the Western District of Oklahoma, said a series of tips eventually led investigators to Lennon’s location. “This was one of those leads that obviously turned out successful for us,” Kuhlman said.

At SUNY Canton, Lennon — under his fake name — had reportedly earned a reputation as a model student with dreams of transferring to MIT. “It’s an unbelievable situation,” said Rashid Aidun, an associate professor in the school of engineering technology. “Everyone is in shock. He was a very good student.”

Lennon is now in custody and is expected to appear in court on November 19.