America's Most Wanted Detectives

Jeff Oncay watches "America's Most Wanted" from time to time. "In a million years," he says, he never thought he'd recognize one of the wanted criminals the show featured.

But on Jan. 11, at home recovering from an ankle broken while removing drugs from an inmate's cell, he saw a familiar face on the show. He called Timothy Clark and told him to turn on the television.

Oncay's subsequent call to the show led to the capture and arrest of an escaped and dangerous convict.

COs at State Correctional Institution at Dallas, Pa., Oncay and Clark are also members of AFSCME Local 2496 (Council 87). The face they recognized was that of Charles Zimmerman, 50, who had served time at Dallas and was now wanted for breaking parole and shooting the owner of a jewelry store he had robbed. The store owner had survived, but was permanently paralyzed.

Seeing Zimmerman on television,Clark remembered that the inmate's "best friend" in prison had been paroled to California. "It just hit me," says Clark.

Oncay called the show. Three days later, after numerous questions and interviews, a member of the program's staff called him back to report that their tip had led to Zimmerman's capture. She invited them to appear on the show.

"Members of the law enforcement community are a huge part of the success of 'America's Most Wanted,'" says show spokeswoman Kathy Swanda. "It's because of Jeff and Tim's great detective work that Zimmerman was arrested."

"It was exciting," Clark says of appearing on television. "I always wanted to turn someone in on that show. I never thought I'd get my chance."

Oncay is in touch with the family of the store owner, who called to express their gratitude.

"Thank goodness they contacted the show," says Kathy Chilutti Abel, a sister of the victim. "Jeff and Tim will always be our heroes."

These days, Oncay says, he's watching "America's Most Wanted" more often.