CHELMSFORD, Mass. — Chelmsford police are thanking a DJ for leading them to a wanted sex offender who was planning to sing at karaoke night on Saturday.
When Ronald Duby, Jr., sent Nashua DJ Bernie Del Llano a Facebook message inquiring about his karaoke events, Del Llano, who had recently seen Duby’s face on a wanted poster online, began scheming.
Duby was the U.S. Marshal’s “Fugitive of the Week” out of New Hampshire, for allegedly failing to register as a sex offender. Duby had been convicted in 1995 of sexual assault of a child under 13.
“He actually messaged me and said, 'Where are your karaoke shows? I can’t be in New Hampshire. I have to be in Massachusetts, and I know you have some Massachusetts locations.' I’m thinking, ‘I think this is the guy that’s wanted,’” Del Llano told Boston 25 News. “I’m like, Yeah, as a matter of fact, I have a karaoke contest in Chelmsford. It’s very close to Nashua. You should come down. Your chances of winning are probably pretty good.' Didn’t think anything of it, didn’t think he’d probably show, but he actually showed.”
Del Llano had fabricated the contest to entice Duby to come, but the karaoke night was real, and it was taking place at Glenview Pub and Grill.
By 9 p.m., on Saturday, Del Llano said, Duby had arrived.
“I’m like, ‘My sting operation’s actually working! I can’t believe it!’” Del Llano said. “It was surreal!"
Del Llano popped open his laptop, confirmed the picture of Duby and called police.
“We wouldn’t make this arrest if it wasn’t for this gentleman. He was astute enough to recognize this person and then even confirm it,” Chelmsford Police Lt. Edward Smith said. “Basically all we had to do was show up.”
Duby was arraigned on Monday in Lowell District Court on a fugitive from justice charge.
Despite the credit Del Llano has been getting, he insists he did what any good citizen would do.
“If somebody shoplifted, it’s a different story," Del Llano said. "But when there's a person that needs to register, needs to follow the laws of our land and doesn't follow them, and especially what he has done, we as citizens need to step up and do something about it. So, you know what, I did something about it."
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