Donald Eugene Fields II is a Missouri man who spent nearly three years on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list before a Florida traffic stop ended his run in January 2025. On April 9, 2026, he pleaded guilty in federal court in St. Louis to one count of child sex trafficking, admitting he provided a co-defendant sexual access to a 14-year-old girl in exchange for cash, a car, a motorcycle, and other items of value.1U.S. Department of Justice. Former FBI Most Wanted Fugitive Admits Child Sex Trafficking He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 15, 2026, and faces a mandatory minimum of ten years in federal prison and a maximum of life.2People. FBI Most Wanted Fugitive Pleads Guilty to Child Sex Trafficking
The Trafficking Scheme
By his own admission at the plea hearing, Fields received items of value from co-defendant Theodore “Ted” John Sartori Sr. from the winter of 2013 through the summer of 2016 in exchange for giving Sartori sexual access to a 14-year-old girl. Sartori’s payments included cash, a car, a motorcycle, Christmas presents, and vacations.1U.S. Department of Justice. Former FBI Most Wanted Fugitive Admits Child Sex Trafficking
Sartori, 65, pleaded guilty in August 2024 to one count of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct and agreed to pay more than $25,000 in restitution to the victim.3U.S. Department of Justice. Franklin County Man Admits Child Sex Trafficking U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp later sentenced him to ten years in federal prison.4KTTN. Co-Defendant of FBI Fugitive Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison
Fields was originally indicted on December 7, 2022, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri on charges of child sex trafficking and travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, covering conduct alleged between January 2013 and June 2017.5U.S. Department of Justice. Man Once on FBI’s Most Wanted Fugitives List Appears in Court in St. Louis He also faced state charges in Franklin County, Missouri, including statutory rape, statutory sodomy, child molestation, and witness tampering.6FBI. Captured: FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitive From St. Louis Metro Area
How He Became a Fugitive
Fields vacated his home and failed to appear for a scheduled state court hearing on March 3, 2022, prompting a Franklin County arrest warrant.6FBI. Captured: FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitive From St. Louis Metro Area In May 2023, the FBI named him the 531st person added to its Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list and offered a reward of up to $250,000 for information leading to his arrest, part of an increase applied across the entire list.7FBI. St. Louis Fugitive Placed on FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives List The bureau warned that he should be considered armed and dangerous, noted his ties to Missouri and Kentucky, and flagged a history of travel to Florida and visits to casinos.8FBI. Donald Eugene Fields II Added to FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives List
The Florida Traffic Stop That Ended His Run
On January 25, 2025, at about 9:15 a.m., Lady Lake Police Sergeant Michelle Bilbrey pulled over a pickup truck on U.S. Highway 27/441 at Rolling Acres Road, northwest of Orlando. She had noticed that the truck’s license plate was not registered to the vehicle and carried a fake expiration sticker.9Lady Lake Police Department. FBI Most Wanted Fugitive Arrested in Lady Lake Fields handed over a fake expired driver’s license. Officers, joined by Corporal Andru Eckerdt, fingerprinted him at the scene and confirmed his identity.10Police1. Fla. Police Nab Fugitive on FBI’s 10 Most Wanted List After Traffic Stop Public reports do not indicate that a citizen tip led to the stop.
Court Proceedings and Guilty Plea
Fields first appeared before Magistrate Judge Philip R. Lammens in the Middle District of Florida on January 27, 2025. He waived his detention hearing in Florida, was ordered detained, and was transferred to the Eastern District of Missouri to face case number 4:22-cr-690.11CourtListener. United States v. Fields, 5:25-mj-01011 On February 14, 2025, he pleaded not guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to both federal charges.12KRCG. Former FBI Most Wanted Pleads Not Guilty to Sex Trafficking in St. Louis Court
Roughly 14 months later, on April 9, 2026, he changed his plea and admitted to the trafficking count. The case was investigated by the FBI and the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office with support from the Missouri State Highway Patrol,4KTTN. Co-Defendant of FBI Fugitive Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dianna Edwards.3U.S. Department of Justice. Franklin County Man Admits Child Sex Trafficking
Sentencing
Fields, now 61, is scheduled to be sentenced on July 15, 2026. The child sex trafficking count carries a mandatory minimum of ten years in federal prison and a maximum of life.2People. FBI Most Wanted Fugitive Pleads Guilty to Child Sex Trafficking