Fugitive who chewed off fingerprints sent to prison

Associated Press

TALLMADGE

A Florida man who chewed off his fingerprints in an effort to avoid being identified during a traffic stop has been sentenced to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to charges in Ohio.

Twenty-four-year-old Kirk Kelly, of Tampa, pleaded guilty this week to charges including escape and tampering with evidence.

A message seeking comment was left Wednesday for his attorney.

Police say Kelly overheard officers discussing their hand-held fingerprint identifier during the Feb. 21 traffic stop in Tallmadge and decided to chew skin off his fingertips. They say Kelly also gave fake names before he was arrested.

He was wanted on multiple warrants in Florida, where police say firearms sold by Kelly have been linked to 15 homicides.

He’ll serve his sentence in Ohio before being returned to Florida.