31-year-old Devonte Robert Banks of Lithonia, Georgia was arrested by Catawba County Sheriff’s Officers yesterday (March 19) on a felony warrant as a fugitive awaiting extradition to another state. Banks is wanted by the Sheriff’s Office in Clarke County, Georgia for interference with custody.

According to Police records, in July of 2021, the mother of two young girls allowed the girls to go with Banks, who is the biological parent of one of the children. Nine days later, the children spoke to mother on the phone and told her they wanted to come home. Banks allegedly said the girls weren’t ever going home and reportedly made threats against law enforcement.

The mother told Officers that Banks is a member of the Piru street gang. She also said that Banks had a gun on his person when she left the girls with him. Banks is a convicted felon and is not permitted to possess a firearm.

On the evening of July 14, 2021, Banks agreed to have a family member drop off one of the girls, but would not return the other child because he claimed to have an agreement with the mother allowing him to keep the child for the summer. Banks later returned both children to a location in Lilburn, Georgia. Both girls were unharmed.

Following his arrest, Banks was jailed in the Catawba County Detention Facility with bond set at $50,000, secured. He remained in custody as of this afternoon. A first appearance in District Court was scheduled today in Newton with another court date coming up on March 27.