Fugitive couple convicted of stealing millions from disabled veterans, elderly caught

POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY, Okla. (KFOR) – A New Mexico couple who pleaded guilty to stealing millions from the elderly and disabled veterans were caught in Shawnee after weeks of fleeing the law.

Susan and William Harris and two others ran a financial services company with disabled, elderly and military veteran clients from New Mexico and Arizona.

All four pleaded guilty in federal court to stealing about $11 million of their clients money over several years. Court documents alleged they spent the stolen money on extravagant items like expensive cars, Caribbean vacations and Final Four basketball tickets.

Under the plea deal, 58-year-old William would have been sentenced to seven years in prison, and 73-year-old Susan would have gotten 30 years. But the two fled before their sentencing.

Six weeks later, they were tracked to a home on North Philadelphia Avenue in Shawnee. The couple's chihuahua helped give their location away.

“Even though we had seen someone kind of walking around, having hoodies on and et cetera, when they let their dog out to go to the bathroom and their dog ran back in, that was pretty much the positive ID there,” said Pottawatomie County Sheriff Mike Booth.