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(From the Adair County Sheriff's Office)---The Adair County Sheriff’s Office wishes to announce the arrest of 38-year old Kenneth E. Kramer.

Mr. Kramer was wanted on warrants out of Adair County and was being sought by the Schuyler County Sheriff’s Office in regards to the disappearance of his step-daughter, Cheryl Mourton.

During the late evening hours of Tuesday, September 20th, a San Diego police officer was approached near the Mexican border by Cheryl Mourton.

She advised the police officer that she was a runaway and wished to turn herself in.

At last report, she was at a teen runaway shelter in California and was waiting for transportation arrangements to be made for her return to Missouri.

During the course of this investigation, Sheriff Hardwick approached the United States Marshal’s Service and requested federal assistance in locating and apprehending Kramer.

Leads that were developed early in the case gave indications that Kramer had fled the State with Cheryl Mourton allegedly in company.

These leads indicated that Kramer had initially fled to Iowa, followed by his flight across the border into Mexico.

Over a period of several weeks, the Marshal’s Service and the Sheriff’s Office narrowed their search to the areas around Tijuana, Mexico.

During the early afternoon hours of Friday, September 23rd, federal agents of the U.S. Marshal’s Service apprehended Kramer in an apartment in the area of Tijuana, Mexico.

Kramer is being held at the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office in California, where he is awaiting extradition back to Missouri to face charges.

Kramer has warrants out of Adair County for both misdemeanor and felony domestic violence, and three counts of felony forgery.

The Schuyler County Sheriff’s Office is continuing to investigate the circumstances concerning the disappearance of Cheryl Mourton. Charges could be filed at a later date.

Sheriff Hardwick wishes to express his gratitude to the United States Marshal’s Service for their invaluable assistance in bringing this case to a close.

Without their dedication and resources, a fugitive from justice would still be at large today.

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