Joseph Franklin Bent Jr. (November 30, 1927 – May 7, 2004) was a robber who was on the FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list in 1951.[1]
| Joseph Franklin Bent | |
|---|---|
 | |
| FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitive | |
| Charges | Robbery, attempted murder |
| Alias | Charles Rayborn, Hap Coal Frederick Raymond |
| Description | |
| Born | Joseph Franklin Bent Jr. November 30, 1927 Clay County, Missouri |
| Died | May 7, 2004 (aged 76) California, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Gender | M |
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) |
| Weight | 175 to 185 lb |
| Occupation | Fireman, fisherman, railway switch man, truck driver |
| Status | |
| Added | January 9, 1951 |
| Caught | August 29, 1952 |
| Number | 18 |
| Captured | |
Background
editHe was also known by the aliases Charles "Hap" Rayborn and Coal Frederick Raymond (among others); the FBI had not tied these names to Bent, a veteran robber, until 16 months after his addition to the Ten Most Wanted list on January 9, 1951. He was added under the charges of robbery, attempted murder, and unlawful flight to avoid prosecution after escaping jail in Gretna, Louisiana.[2][3]
On March 6, 1946, he enlisted in the United States Army at San Antonio, Texas, but was discharged after less than one month service.[3]
Capture and aftermath
editBent was captured in Texas City, Texas, on August 29, 1952, on the advice of a tip from Alaska that had placed him in Monterrey, Mexico. When two agents attempted to arrest him in his apartment, Bent began to run and appeared to attempt to draw a weapon (he later turned out to be unarmed) and was shot once and wounded in the leg. He was tackled by the agents and eventually apprehended.[4] Bent previously served time at United States Penitentiary, Leavenworth and Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary for his heists. His previous occupations included a fireman, fisherman, railway switch man, and truck driver.[5] He died in 2004 in California.[6]
References
edit- ^ "18. Joseph Franklin Bent, Jr". Federal Bureau of Investigation. Retrieved 2020-06-24.
- ^ "Second Change Made in 'Most Wanted' list" (PDF). Albany New York Knickerbocker News. January 11, 1951. p. B-13.
- ^ a b "The Tipton Daily Tribune from Tipton, Indiana on January 9, 1951 · Page 2".
- ^ Swierczynski, Duane (4 February 2014). The Encyclopedia of the FBI's Ten Most Wanted List: Over Fifty Years of Convicts, Robbers, Terrorists, and Other Rogues. Skyhorse Publishing, Inc. ISBN 9781628739060 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Roundup Record-Tribune and Winnett Times June 5 Page 6".
- ^ Howard Bent Obituary - Cherry Hill, New Jersey | Courier Post
