Eastern Washington Fugitive Nabbed By Federal Officers

A man known to police around Eastern and Central Washington is now in the custody of U-S Marshals.

The U-S Marshal's Service received assistance from Othello Police in arresting Nicholas Romero Rivera Tuesday Night.

Police Sergeant Brent McFarlane says the investigation led them to the Lions Park Apartments in Othello where a short standoff ensued.

"We surrounded the apartments and called him out. He came out 30 to 40 minutes after we started calling him out. He came out peacefully and surrendered. Further we applied for a search warrant which was granted and we recovered two firearms within the apartment. That part of the investigation is still ongoing." McFarlane said.

Rivera had been on the run since October of last year when the Adams County Sheriff's Office reached out to the public for information on his whereabouts.

Detectives tried to arrest him in connection with an armed domestic dispute case, a possible explosive device and derogatory message to police on a car window.

Based on Rivera's history and multiple sources, Sergeant McFarlane says officers proceeded with caution during Tuesday night's arrest.

"We were getting information from street sources that he was saying I am not going back to prison, I will basically get in a shootout with police. There wasn't anything substantiated via social media threat or anything to that effect, just confidential informants as well as street sources." Sergeant McFarlane said.

Rivera's criminal history dates back several years. Most recently, Adams County Sheriff's Deputies say the Tri-City Bomb Squad was called to clear a vehicle with a possible explosive device between the front seats. Several homes were evacuated. On the car window, deputies say a derogatory message was written to law enforcement.

In addition to the bomb squad incident, Adams County Sheriff's deputies developed probable cause to arrest Rivera for suspicion of domestic violence assault and unlawful firearms.

The Sheriff's Office then issued a warning to the public that Rivera was still at-large and known to be armed and dangerous.