Man arrested in Nevada for alleged masked harassment in Philadelphia

U.S. Marshals arrested 22-year-old Zymire Hughes in Las Vegas on Tuesday, pending extradition to Pennsylvania on multiple criminal counts. Hughes was taken into custody by the Nevada Violent Offender Task Force and is being held at the Clark County Detention Center.

Authorities said Hughes fled Philadelphia on Aug. 19, traveling from Trenton-Mercer Airport to Orlando before flying to Las Vegas. Investigators tracked him to an apartment in southeast Las Vegas, where he is believed to have stayed for about five days.

"Tonight, the fear that one man brought to the Philadelphia community comes to an end," said Supervisory Deputy U.S. Marshal Robert Clark.

"We've actually worked on this since last Friday. They worked through the weekend. And we just tried to narrow things down to a point today where everything came together," Clark added.

Police in Philadelphia reported that Hughes approached as many as 15 or 16 people in Center City on the early morning of Aug. 15, wearing a distinctive Halloween-style mask. Incidents included an encounter near City Hall where a woman jogging was chased and injured while fleeing. Surveillance footage showed Hughes entering Suburban Station and later boarding a Route 33 bus before heading to an apartment near 23rd and Venango streets.

"It’s going to require extensive medical treatment, from what I understand, in order to treat the injuries that she has sustained," said Philadelphia Police Capt. Jason Smith.

Hughes, who has ties to California and Las Vegas through employment and family, has lived in Las Vegas since February. He was reportedly confused at the time of his arrest and attempted to remove his handcuffs, requiring deputies to subdue him.

He faces charges of terroristic threats, harassment, simple assault and intimidation.