COVINGTON — A 25-year-old registered sex offender who allegedly went on a crime spree while impersonating a federal officer was captured by U.S. Marshals at a motel in Hamilton County Friday morning.

Lloyd

Police found Ryan Lloyd of Newport in the Howard Johnson motel off Ridge Road in Columbia Township.

It was the culmination of a search that began with a high-speed chase of a stolen black Lexus on Thursday afternoon — a chase that apparently took place with Mr. Lloyd's toddler son bucked into a rear seat of the Lexus.

Also confiscated from the room were four grams of what police said appears to be heroin, several sets of car keys, a Smith & Wesson handgun and a fake police badge, said U.S. Marshal John Schickel.

“He used irrational judgment,” said Mr. Lloyd's mother, Carol Anderson, 48, of Newport, “and he doesn't have rational judgment. He thought it would be just another old happy day. He is not a thug or dangerous criminal like the police make him out to be. He just does stupid things.”

State police said Mr. Lloyd's spree started Wednesday when he allegedly robbed a Canadian couple on an area interstate. A man driving a black Ford Mustang pulled up along the elderly couple's car on Interstate 75 and flashed a fake police badge.

The couple pulled over near Walton. The man then asked for the driver's license and his wallet. After the man walked back to the Mustang, he returned the wallet — minus the credit cards — and told the couple to “have a good day.”

The couple didn't learn their credit cards were missing until they stopped for gas on Thursday.

Cincinnati Police Sgt. Mike Fern, left, and Spec. Terry Cox examine fingerprints on a stolen Lexus. (Patrick Reddy photo) | ZOOM |

Soon after a description of the black Mustang was broadcast over police radios Thursday afternoon, police said, Mr. Lloyd showed up at the new Lexus dealership in Covington driving a black Mustang. Mr. Lloyd, allegedly wearing a holstered handgun and a set of handcuffs, had his 3-year-old son with him.

After a brief sales introduction, Mr. Lloyd, who identified himself as a federal agent to the sales staff, drove off the lot with a new Lexus with the child in the passenger seat, police said. The model of Lexus stolen retails from $58,000 and up.

The dealership thought Mr. Lloyd was taking the car out for a test drive. Ms. Anderson said Friday her son just needed a car police were not looking for.

Lexus RiverCenter management declined comment Friday.

Covington Police first began their pursuit after observing a black Lexus driving recklessly on Greenup Street a few blocks from the dealership. The car raced through the city, bumped a police cruiser on 12th Street and sped north on I-75 toward Cincinnati.

The officer driving the cruiser was not injured.

Cincinnati Police were contacted and spotted the car at a United Dairy Farmers store near Queen City Avenue and Quebec Road in South Fairmount. The Lexus was able to outrun police cruisers, speeding down sidewalks and running red lights.

Before the day was over, police found the Lexus abandoned in a Westwood apartment complex.

Lt. Col. Jim Liles of Covington Police said after giving Cincinnati Police the slip, Mr. Lloyd took a taxi to the Olive Garden in Florence to attend a birthday party. It was unclear whose birthday it was.

Ms. Anderson said Mr. Lloyd fled Cincinnati Police because he didn't want his son to be turned over to Ohio social services. She said the child was unharmed during the chase, adding that Mr. Lloyd made his son buckle up and keep his head down. The child was returned to his mother and Ms. Anderson sometime Thursday evening, police confirmed.

Ms. Anderson said Mr. Lloyd had picked up his son Thursday to take him to eat, pick up some ice cream and get a small toy.

She said Mr. Lloyd wanted to explain to his child that he wouldn't be around because he was going to go to federal prison on a probation violation.

Mr. Lloyd was wanted by U.S. Marshals for a probation violation on bank fraud charges.

Mr. Schickel said authorities are still deciding whether to file charges for impersonating a federal officer. Lt. Col. Liles said Mr. Lloyd will be charged by Kentucky officials with first-degree wanton endangerment, receiving stolen property over $300 and endangering the welfare of a minor.

Mr. Lloyd was transported to an undisclosed county jail in Kentucky on Friday afternoon. He is scheduled to appear in federal court 10 a.m. Tuesday in Covington.

Ms. Anderson said “her feet were tired” from going to the courthouse every time her son got in trouble. She said her son had been in trouble all his life, but that police were portraying him “in a nasty light.”

Mr. Schickel said Mr. Lloyd has a lengthy criminal record. Mr. Lloyd is listed on the Kentucky State Police sex offender registry with offenses including attempted solicitation and second-degree rape.

E-mail jhannah@enquirer.com

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