A man who appeared on ‘America’s Most Wanted’ was captured after his daughters launched a TikTok campaign to hunt him down, alleging he sexually assaulted two children.
Davie Albarran, 51, was arrested Sunday night in Lakeland, Polk County, Florida, for sexual battery on a child under 12 and lewd conduct with a child under 12.
He was caught hiding in a shed after 451 days on the run following a campaign to find him by his daughters Ana and Yaneiry, which racked up hundreds of thousands of views on TikTok, and his appearance on America’s Most Wanted.
Ana and Yaneiry say they have been contacted by more victims since they began their campaign, in addition to the two cases for which he has been formally charged.
Their search began in 2022, when his daughters say Albarrán disappeared after they confronted him and accused him of assaulting their young relative.
Davie Albarran was found hiding in a shed and arrested in Polk County Sunday night.
Sisters Ana and Yaneiry were thrilled that their father appeared on America’s Most Wanted, but it was another year before he was caught.
Frustrated by his disappearance, Ana decided to post on Facebook, publicly accusing him of the crimes and asking anyone who had seen him to come forward and help find him.
She wrote: ‘Please share and paint the city with his face. He is on the run and the police are looking for him.
Over the past year and a half, the sisters have put up billboards, staked out motels, interrogated other family members, and even gotten their father to appear on America’s Most Wanted in December 2022.
The videos they shared of their attempts to locate him racked up hundreds of thousands of views and were picked up by local news stations.
Ana Albarrán, now in her 30s, alleged in an interview with WOFL that her father also acted inappropriately toward her when she was young and that dozens of other victims had told similar stories.
They said not all of their family supported them: the sisters accused some of Albarrán’s brothers of helping to keep him hidden and keeping him in their homes.
They repeatedly stated that they would not allow the alleged cover-up to continue in their family and that they would “believe” any children who came forward.
Ana cries on camera when she finds out that her father was arrested. She and her sister had been rallying support to find him for more than a year.
Her daughters made and shared wanted posters to distribute around the country to warn other parents.
The daughters shared photos of their father and asked if anyone had seen him
The sisters recorded a celebratory video with other family members after learning he had been captured on Monday.
Albarrán appeared on America’s Most Wanted, meaning his face was broadcast nationwide.
When the sisters finally found out he had been arrested, they filmed a celebratory video, gathering with the entire family spraying a bottle of champagne and shouting with joy.
Ana said: ‘We did it, guys. My father is in jail. After a damn year. Just thank you, because if he wasn’t for all of you, you never would have found him, brother.
She told WFTV9 that when she heard the news: ‘I started screaming. She was crying. I was in disbelief.”
Ana and Yaneiry said it was ‘the greatest feeling in the world’ and added ‘we are their karma.’
Describing the arrest, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said, “Well, he made a mistake.” (America’s Most Wanted) took him across the country and into Lakeland.
‘When he came to Lakeland, we received confidential information. They said, ‘Hey, we know where this guy is.’
His two daughters, Ana and Yaneiry, waged a year-long campaign to locate and arrest him after his disappearance in 2022.
Police and a police dog tracked him down to a shed where they confronted him and arrested him.
Sheriff Grady Judd said Albarrán made a “big mistake” by coming to Lakeland
The couple worked with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office to secure his arrest.
‘So we sneaked out on Sunday night, just before midnight, into a backyard on Country Haven Drive. Well, it might have been Country Haven Drive, but it wasn’t a “haven” for him.
Albarrán reportedly tried to evade the officers by telling them his name was José, but they saw through his ruse and detained him.
There is no further information yet on his charges or trial.
In December 2022, Sheriff Marcos López said: ‘Now is the time to pick up this trash. This monster. There is no other way to describe this garbage. Arrest him and imprison him for 100 years.
“Take away the innocence of children,” Osceola Sheriff Marcos Lopez said at the time. “He’s a sick guy.”