NATCHEZ — You can run, but you cannot hide.

That message is one Adams County Sheriff Travis Patten said he wants sent to criminals who commit crimes in Adams County and flee elsewhere.

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office recently arrested Derrick Dwayne Blanton, 35, 2 Major Blvd., who reportedly shot into a residence while people were inside sleeping and attempted to burn it down in March 2011. No one was injured.

Blanton reportedly fled and was captured in Minneapolis less than two weeks ago after ACSO reviewed the case and entered Blanton into National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database, a computerized index of criminal justice information available to agencies across the country.

Patten said Blanton was arrested in Minneapolis for crimes allegedly committed there and was transported by U.S. Prisoner Transport to Adams County following court proceedings in Minneapolis.

Blanton has a $75,000 bond for the Adams County charges and was sentenced this week to 90 days in jail for a prior failure to appear charge, Patten said.

Blanton is one of a handful of alleged criminals who reportedly committed crimes in Adams County, fled and have been apprehended and returned to Adams County to face charges, Patten said.

“When this administration took office (in January), we saw a bunch of outstanding felony warrants, and I asked, ‘Why are these people not being brought to justice?’” he said. “I kept getting the same answer, that these people had left. I didn’t feel like that was good enough for the citizens of Adams County.”

The recent arrests for crimes committed prior to Patten taking office were related to burglaries, sex offenses and other crimes, he said.

ACSO will continue to examine old cases, Patten said, hopefully offering some degree of closure to victims.

“People feel violated and vulnerable when they are victims of crimes,” Patten said. “When you don’t see that person brought to justice, it makes them feel empty. We are trying to make people feel whole again. We know it won’t give them complete peace, but we know it will give them some type of closure.”

ACSO has adopted a new motto for its recent efforts — “Not in Adams County.”

“I want a clear message to be sent,” Patten said. “It doesn’t matter how long you run or how far you go, if you commit a crime under this administration, we are coming after you.”