Sheriff’s deputies from Allegheny and Westmoreland counties combined resources Friday to locate and arrest a 29-year-old fugitive hiding inside a house in the Homewood section of Pittsburgh.
Deputies said Orlando Robert “Jay” Holt of Pittsburgh surrendered after a 45 minute standoff at a home along Paulson Avenue. Westmoreland County Deputy John Dixon said Holt has been wanted for more than four months on multiple bench warrants for drug and firearms charges from Allegheny, Fayette and Westmoreland counties for failing to appear at numerous hearings.
He has several prior drug-related convictions in Westmoreland County for possessing controlled substances.
In 2012, he pleaded guilty to drug possession charges after he was stopped for driving without a license by Mt. Pleasant Police. Police said Holt, who was living in Mt. Pleasant at the time, grabbed his then 2-year-old daughter from the back seat and ran, carrying the child and a small plastic bag containing heroin.
He pleaded guilty in that case and was sentenced to serve one to two years in jail.
On Friday, Holt resisted, Dixon said, but was taken into custody by deputies from the two departments.
Westmoreland County deputies had developed information that Holt was hiding at the Paulson Avenue home this week and notified Allegheny officials, who assisted at the scene.
“We’ve had several near captures at hotels and locations around Westmoreland County over the past few months and missed (Holt) on at least two occasions by just a few hours,” Dixon said.
Holt was taken to the Allegheny County Jail, where he is being held on multiple warrants, officials said.
Members of the sheriff’s warrant team in Westmoreland County said Holt will be charged with flight to avoid apprehension when he is returned to Westmoreland County.
