CAPE CORAL, FL — Cape Coral police arrested a Louisiana fugitive on Sept. 22 after officers located him at a retail store on Del Prado Boulevard South. Investigators said Timothy Dalton Barnes, 31, of Fort Myers was wanted on a full-extradition warrant tied to multiple felony child exploitation charges out of Louisiana.
The Cape Coral Police Department said a task force officer assigned to the FBI was first alerted by the FBI New Orleans Field Office about Barnes’ whereabouts. After that tip, the department’s Special Investigations Unit and Patrol Division helped track him down and make contact at 1619 Del Prado Boulevard South. Officers then confirmed his identity and the active warrant.
FBI tip led Cape Coral officers to Barnes in Fort Myers-area case
According to Cape Coral police, the case began with information shared between federal and local investigators. The FBI New Orleans Field Office asked about Barnes’ location, and that intelligence was passed to a Cape Coral Police Department FBI task force officer.
From there, officers in the Special Investigations Unit and Patrol Division worked together to find him. The department said Barnes was contacted at the Cape Coral retail location on Sept. 22 and identified before the Louisiana warrant was confirmed. Police said the arrest was the result of coordinated communication among several agencies rather than a lone patrol stop.
The police department described the arrest as a successful example of interagency cooperation. It thanked the FBI New Orleans Field Office, the local FBI task force, and Louisiana State Police for helping bring the fugitive into custody.
Louisiana warrant lists 27 counts of producing child sexual abuse material
Police said the warrant out of Louisiana carries serious allegations. Barnes is facing 27 counts of production of child sexual abuse material involving a child under 13, along with one count of computer-aided solicitation of a minor and one count of indecent behavior with juveniles.
The warrant was described as a full-extradition arrest warrant issued by Louisiana State Police. That means Barnes can be transferred back to Louisiana to answer the charges there. Cape Coral police did not provide further details about the alleged conduct behind the case.
Officials identified Barnes as being born Dec. 29, 1994. They said he is from Fort Myers, though the charges are from Louisiana and the warrant originated there.
How officers confirmed Barnes and took him into custody
After making contact with Barnes, officers verified his identity before moving forward with the arrest. Cape Coral police said the confirmation of his identity and the extradition warrant were both critical steps in the case.
He was transported to the Lee County Jail after the arrest. Police said he remains held there while extradition to Louisiana is pending. No additional court dates, bond information or attorney comments were included in the department’s announcement.
The arrest took place at a retail location on Del Prado Boulevard South, a busy commercial corridor in Cape Coral. Police did not say whether Barnes was alone at the time or whether the location was targeted after surveillance, but they said officers were able to make contact there on Sept. 22.
Cape Coral police highlight cooperation across local, state and federal agencies
The department said the arrest shows why direct communication between law enforcement agencies matters in fugitive investigations. In this case, information moved from federal investigators in New Orleans to a Cape Coral task force officer, then to the local units that carried out the contact and arrest.
Cape Coral police said the combined effort helped locate a suspect wanted on severe juvenile exploitation charges. Their public statement framed the outcome as a shared success among the FBI New Orleans Field Office, the FBI task force, and Louisiana State Police.
While police focused on the mechanics of the arrest, the case itself remains centered on the Louisiana allegations and the extradition process that follows. Barnes is being held in Lee County as authorities prepare for his return to Louisiana.
What happens next as Barnes awaits extradition to Louisiana
With Barnes now in custody in Lee County, the next step is extradition proceedings that would send him back to Louisiana. Cape Coral police said he is being held pending that transfer.
The department’s statement did not outline the timing of the extradition or whether Louisiana authorities have set a hearing date. It also did not add any new charges beyond those listed in the warrant.
For now, the case underscores how quickly a fugitive search can move once investigators share location information. Police said Barnes was located and arrested on the same day officers confirmed his identity and the active warrant.
