Fugitive wanted for child sex crimes in Arizona captured in Mexico after 9 years on run

A fugitive child sex crime offender was captured in Mexico and returned to Arizona on Tuesday after nine years on the run, authorities said.

Adalberto Rodriguez, 45, fled before going to trial for sexually abusing a family member who was younger than 12, according to the U.S. Marshals Service.

A Pima County Superior Court judge issued an arrest warrant for Rodriguez after he failed to appear at an April 2017 hearing.

He was tried in absentia and found guilty of all charges in August 2023.

Prosecutors asked the Arizona WANTED Violent Offender Task Force, which partners with the U.S. Marshals Service, to help find Rodriguez.

Investigators learned he fled to the Mexican state of Jalisco, where he was playing drums in a band and producing music. He also was associated with a music school that provided lessons for elementary school students.

Fugitive sex offender faces at least 50 years in prison

Authorities captured Rodriguez on Tuesday morning, and he was deported to the U.S. later in the day. He is being held without bond in the Pima County Jail while he awaits sentencing. He faces a minimum of 50 years in prison, according to the Marshals Service.

“Rodriguez fled the country to escape accountability for his crimes, but our commitment to finding him never wavered,” Van Bayless, U.S. marshal for the District of Arizona, said in a news release. “His capture reflects the persistence of our investigators and the strong partnerships we share with law enforcement in Arizona and Mexico.”

The following state, federal and Mexican agencies contributed to the investigation:

• Arizona Department of Public Safety
• Pima County Attorney’s Office
• U.S. Marshals Arizona WANTED Violent Offender Task Force
• Tucson Police Department
• U.S. Marshals Service Mexican Foreign Field Office – Guadalajara
• Secretaría de Seguridad del Estado de Jalisco
• Instituto Nacional de Migración

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