U.S. Marshals, Partner Agencies Apprehend Alleged Child Rapist

Abingdon, VA – An alleged child rapist was arrested July 26 near the Virginia-Tennessee line through a coordinated effort by law enforcement agencies working in multiple states.

William Martin was wanted for first-degree rape of a child on a warrant issued in Caldwell County, North Carolina. 

The U.S. Marshals Service 9USMS) Western District of Virginia (Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force) received an investigative lead July 25 from the USMS Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force that Martin was potentially in Scott County and immediately began investigating.

Members of the task force confirmed through their investigation that Martin had been in Scott County and was traveling with a minor child with limited verbal skills. 

Determining the child to be endangered, the task force intensified its search and relayed information as it was developed to the Scott County Sheriff’s Office, Russell County Sheriff’s Office; Kingsport, Tennessee, Police Department; Tennessee Highway Patrol and Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office. 

Based upon this information, Kingsport Police Department, Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office, and THP were able to locate and arrest Martin in Kingsport without incident and safely recover the child.

“The mission of the U.S. Marshals Service and its partners in our task forces is to apprehend those wanted for the most violent and heinous crimes and protect our most vulnerable citizens,” said acting U.S. Marshal for the Western District of Virginia, Matt Davis. “The true strength of law enforcement in protecting our communities is our collaboration, as the men and women who wear the uniform in our local and state agencies truly are the front-line heroes. This is a prime example of how these task forces, of partnerships, serve as the most effective mechanism to fight violent crime in our communities and protect the innocent. We sincerely appreciate each of our partners for their commitment to the safety of the communities they serve.”