LAWRENCE, Mass. — A fugitive wanted for child rape in Ohio and who is living in the U.S. illegally has been arrested in Lawrence, federal authorities said Thursday.
Webster Portalatin-Castro, 37, was wanted for rape of a person under the age of 18, the U.S. Marshals Service District of Massachusetts Fugitive Task Force said in a statement.
Castro is being charged as a Fugitive from Justice, officials said. He will be arraigned in Massachusetts pending his extradition back to Ohio.
Police in Cleveland, Ohio had requested the assistance of the U.S. Marshals in locating Portalatin-Castro, who was arrested Thursday in Lawrence.
An arrest warrant was issued on June 3 from the Cleveland Municipal Court in Cleveland, Ohio.
Federal and local authorities in Ohio collaborated with Massachusetts authorities, as Castro was believed to be in Massachusetts, U.S. Marshals officials said.
In Massachusetts, several agencies assisted federal authorities, including the Massachusetts State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section, Lawrence Police, Lowell Police, and the Middlesex County Sheriff’s Office, in tracking down Portalatin-Castro in Lawrence.
Portalatin-Castro is unlawfully present in the United States and according to ICE, he entered the country illegally in 2023.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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