Accused Rapist 'Zombie Mike' Could Be In Tampa Bay Area, Marshals Say

TAMPA, FL — The U.S. Marshals Service is asking Tampa Bay area residents to keep an eye out for a man wanted in connection with two sexual assaults in New York State.

Michael Hawkins, 29, is believed to have fled New York after allegedly committing two rapes. Nicknamed “Zombie Mike” by friends because of poor personal hygiene habits, Hawkins has strong ties to the Tampa Bay area, Deputy U.S. Marshal Anthony Loguidice told Patch.

“We’re looking at Florida as a real hot spot for him either in the Tampa Bay area or Fort Lauderdale,” Loguidice said.

Hawkins used to work with a carnival company, Loguidice explained, and is believed to possibly still be doing carnival work. The name of the carnival company he might be working for is not available. Hawkins, Loguidice said, also has some family in the Tampa area.

The first crime Hawkins is accused of committing occurred on June 10, 2012. He is accused of binding and sexually assaulting a wheelchair-bound, mentally challenged woman in her Schenectady, N.Y., apartment after her family members had gone to bed, an email from the U.S. Marshals Service said.

The crime was reported the next day and a warrant was issued for Hawkins’ arrest. He was formally charged with aggravated sex abuse in the first degree and other crimes due to the victim’s disabilities, the email said.

While the charges were filed, Hawkins stayed under the radar until Nov. 8, 2013, when he allegedly assaulted the wife of a friend, the email said. The friend, the email noted, had invited Hawkins to his Rotterdam, N.Y., home for a family gathering. A first-degree rape warrant was issued following that incident.

"Predators like Michael Hawkins who prey on helpless victims must be brought to justice," U.S. Marshal David McNulty of the Northern District of New York said in a statement. "We, along with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners, are determined to make sure he's held accountable, but we need the public's
help."

While authorities believe Hawkins may be in Florida, he also has personal ties to Pennsylvania, Oregon, California and Virginia, the email noted. “Due to his past employment with traveling carnival companies based in New Jersey and North Carolina, he could be working and traveling with similar companies in Ohio, Tennessee, Puerto Rico, and states along the East Coast,” the email added.

Hawkins is described as “someone who can hide anywhere to include wooded areas and survive off scraps,” the email said. He is said to stand 5 feet, 9 inches in height and weighs an estimated 160 pounds. Hawkins has brown hair, brown eyes and a 1 ½-inch scar on his face. He also has a burn scar on his right arm and a tattoo of the grim reaper on his chest.

Anyone with information on Hawkins’ whereabouts is asked to contact the nearest U.S. Marshals Service office or the U.S. Marshals Service Communications Center at 1-800-336-0102, or email: usms.wanted@usdoj.gov. Information that leads to an arrest in the case may be worth a $5,000 reward.

Photos courtesy of the U.S. Marshals Service