U.S. Marshals Apprehend Alleged Child Rapist, U.S. Army Top 15 Most Wanted Fugitive

Fayetteville, NC – The U.S. Marshals Service, Eastern District of North Carolina, announces the arrest of Oscar Rodriguez, 34, in Fajardo, Puerto Rico. Rodriguez is wanted for multiple alleged sex crimes he committed against adult and juvenile victims, burglary and deserting the U.S. Army.

During the summer of 2013 through New Year’s Eve 2013, Rodriguez allegedly forcibly entered the bedrooms of two victims and engaged in multiple sexual assaults against the victims in Harnett County.

As a result, the Harnett County Sheriff’s Office obtained arrest warrants charging Rodriguez with three counts of indecent liberties with a child, two counts of second degree rape, two counts of second degree sex offense, one count of sexual battery, two counts of crimes against nature and four counts of first degree burglary.

On Feb. 21, the U.S. Army issued an arrest warrant charging Rodriguez with military desertion. Due to the egregious nature of Rodriguez’s pending charges in North Carolina, the U.S. Army classified Rodriguez as one of their Top 15 Most Wanted. At the time of his desertion, Rodriguez was a staff sergeant stationed at the Fort Jackson Army Installation located in Columbia, SC.

In February, U.S. Marshals, Harnett County Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Army investigators launched an extensive fugitive investigation in an attempt to locate Rodriguez. After tracking Rodriguez through multiple states in the continental United States, U.S. Marshals determined that Rodriguez had fled to Puerto Rico.

Members of the U.S. Marshals Puerto Rico Violent Offender Task Force arrested Rodriguez early this morning on Calle Union Street, Fajardo, PR after a brief pursuit. Rodriguez is currently being detained at the Bayamon State Jail, PR pending extradition to Harnett County.

“I would like to thank the men and women of the U.S. Marshals Service, Harnett County Sheriff’s Office, and U.S. Army for their diligent efforts to swiftly apprehend this alleged sexually violent predator,” said Scott J. Parker, U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of North Carolina. “The interagency efforts which spanned multiple states and jurisdictions is a great example of what can be accomplished when federal, state and local law enforcement agencies work together in pursuit of justice for the innocent.”

The U.S. Marshals Service Violent Fugitive Task Force, Eastern District of North Carolina Fayetteville Division, is a team comprised of law enforcement officers from the U.S. Marshals Service, Fayetteville Police Department, Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, and the North Carolina Department of Public Safety. The task force’s objective is to seek out and arrest violent fugitives. Last fiscal year, U.S. Marshals task forces arrested more than 110,000 state and local fugitives. Annually, the U.S. Marshals Service arrests more federal fugitives than all other federal agencies combined.