UPDATE: Video Documenting Arrest In Which Officer Recognized Fugitive at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Released

Kyle Silagyi

UPDATE: Video Documenting Arrest In Which Officer Recognized Fugitive at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Released

A new video documenting a 2022 arrest initiated by a federal officer recognizing a fugitive at Disney’s Animal Kingdom has been released. Federal postal inspector Jeff Andre was on vacation at Walt Disney World Resort in October 2022 and noticed Quashon Burton, a fugitive from New York who had been on the run for nearly a year, while visiting Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Andre had signed the complaint against Burton in the U.S. District Court’s Southern District of New York in 2021 and, thus, knew his likeness.

New Video Documenting Arrest at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Released

The video shows an Orange County Sheriff’s Office deputy walking through the bus service location and communicating with colleagues. He approaches Burton, who is waiting at a bus stop, and asks if he has any identification. Burton says that he does not think he has his identification, prompting the officer to ask him what his first name is. Burton grows visibly confused, and the deputy tells him that “[they] have word that he might be doing something.”

Burton tells the officer that he’s done nothing wrong. He repeats this as another officer restrains his arms behind his back. The deputy tells Burton that he is “the suspect” and mentions a warrant. Burton’s daughter, who was one of two family members waiting at the bus stop with him, starts to cry as handcuffs are applied around Burton’s wrists.

tree of life repainting 6855

Watch the video below.

Burton was accused of stealing at least four people’s identities and using their personal information to fraudulently take out government loans. Burton stole about $150,000 in forgivable federal loans intended to help struggling businesses survive 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to court documents.

Law enforcement first attempted to arrest Burton on November 29, 2021, in Brooklyn, NY, but he was not at his home when officers arrived. They were informed by his mother that he would “not be self-surrendering,” prompting a nearly year-long search.

Andre spotted Burton while at Disney’s Animal Kingdom on October 20, 2022, noticing his “distinct neck tattoo,” the letter “H” written in cursive. He alerted the Orange County Sheriff’s Office that a fugitive was inside the park, prompting his ultimate arrest. It was later revealed that Burton entered the park using fraudulent identification.

Shortly after his arrest, Magistrate Judge David Baker from the Middle District of Florida ruled that Burton could be released as long as he had GPS monitoring and underwent pretrial supervision in New York, among other conditions. Judge Lewis Kaplan from the Southern District of New York ultimately overruled this, stating that Burton should not be released on bail before trial. No trial has yet occurred.

For the latest Disney Parks news and info, follow WDW News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.