FUGITIVE ARRESTED: Suspect Who Faked Cartel Kidnapping to Extort Employer Disappears During Trial

PRESCOTT, AZ – On Tuesday evening, May 12th, 33-year-old Mark Ellis, who disappeared midway through his trial, was arrested in Prescott. Ellis was originally arrested by Yavapai County Sheriff's deputies for Fraud and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, stemming from an elaborate extortion scheme in early 2025. On January 8, 2025, deputies responded to a report from a business owner who was receiving alarming text messages from his employee, Mark Ellis. Ellis claimed he had been kidnapped, was being held in a basement by the Sinaloa Cartel, and would be killed if a $17,000 ransom was not paid. The employer immediately contacted authorities. As deputies investigated the case and prepared to execute a possible rescue, they learned of an extortion attempt. Discovering that Ellis had gambled away his money and fabricated the entire cartel kidnapping to scam his boss out of $17,000. Evidence revealed that Ellis was sitting safely in his home, actively typing the ransom texts. Deputies subsequently made contact at the residence on Thumb Butte Road and took Ellis into custody without incident. A search of the immediate area resulted in the recovery of various items of drug paraphernalia. The Yavapai County Attorney's Office announced that Ellis was convicted of the crimes. However, during the trial, he failed to appear for his scheduled court dates. A warrant was issued for his arrest, and on May 12th, YCSO deputies and officers from the Prescott Police Department arrested Ellis in Prescott, where they found him hiding in the back of a vehicle. The Yavapai County Sheriff's Office thanks the Prescott Police Department and everyone in the community who reached out.