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VERNAL — Two of southeast Oregon's most wanted were arrested at a movie theater in Utah by the U.S. Marshal's Office Tuesday night.
Agents from the Joint Criminal Apprehension Teams in Salt Lake City and Vernal teamed up to keep surveillance on several locations in Vernal for Keil Kimball, 26, and his wife, LeAnne Beason, 22. Both were wanted on parole violations and listed on the Malheur County's most wanted list.
Vernal police detective Shaun Smith said after nine hours of surveillance, investigators spotted the couple leaving a house in Vernal. The JCAT team followed the couple to the Cinema 5 in Vernal.
Agents sent plain-clothed officers into the theater to scout out the scene. They then waited for an opportunity to arrest Kimball, who has a history of violence, without endangering the other movie patrons, Smith said.
When Kimball went to use the restroom, a couple of officers followed him and took him into custody inside the bathroom. Beason, who was waiting outside, was also arrested. The couple were originally convicted on a drug-related offense in Oregon, according to Smith.
He believes they had been in the Vernal area — where Kimball has family — at least a month, because Beason was arrested for investigation of a theft charge in Vernal about that long ago, he said. The warrant out of Oregon was issued earlier this month, Smith said.
Kimball was convicted of aggravated assault in Vernal's 8th District Court in 2007, according to court records. He was also listed as a fugitive from Oregon that same year.
