MADISON (WKOW) -- Neighbors are surprised that a 72-year-old prison escapee lived among them for months.
U.S. Marshals arrested Ronald Schwensow Wednesday afternoon on the State Capitol steps. He was wanted after escaping Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary in Kansas on June 21, 2011.
Authorities say Schwensow had been living in the Brittingham Apartments on the 700 block of Braxton Place with an individual he met while in prison.
"I never knew that this guy was that way, that he was a prisoner or anything, I'm lost right now, this came out of no where," said Mark Spates. Spates said he talked to Schwensow on a regular basis.
Neighbor Tom Tookes said, "He was a very nice guy, friendly, and he respected a lot of people."
Members of the homeless population in downtown Madison tell 27 News Schwensow had been living homeless near the Capitol in recent weeks.
U.S. Marshals acted on investigative information to learn Schwensow was in Madison before his arrest.
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MADISON (WKOW) -- U.S. Marshals capture a wanted man from a Kansas prison in downtown Madison Wednesday afternoon.
The U.S. Marshals arrested Ronald Schwensow around 3:00 p.m. Wednesday on the State Capitol steps. Schwensow is a prison escapee from Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kansas.
The 72-year-old, originally from Milwaukee, escaped the prison camp on June 21, 2011, where he was serving a 22-year sentence for a federal firearms conviction.
While acting on an investigation, U.S. Marshals learned Schwensow was in Madison. He was living with an individual he met in prison in the Braxton Place Apartments.
After Schwensow was taken into custody he told authorities, "I had three or four more years to go, my health isn't getting any better, I thought I'd take one more chance".
