Accused child rapist, on the run for years, spotted in Tacoma park by victim's mom
Accused child rapist on the run for years spotted in Tacoma
An accused child rapist, who has been on the run for the last two years, was just spotted in a Tacoma park by the mother of one of the victims, investigators say.
TACOMA, WA - An accused child rapist, who has been on the run for the last two years, was just spotted in a Tacoma park by the mother of one of the victims, investigators say.
Juan Steagall-Martinez, 53, is accused of raping and molesting several young girls who lived at the mobile home park where he worked.
The incidents were reported two years ago, but Steagall-Martinez fled before police could arrest him.
Pierce County deputies looking for suspect wanted for child rape, molestation
Detectives with the Pierce County Sheriff's Department are looking for a suspect wanted for the sexual assault of three children in Midland.
For the first time in years, he was reportedly sighted sitting in the middle of Wapato Park in Tacoma in the middle of the day.
"The victim’s mom actually spoke to him and talked to him about the incident. So, we’re 100% positive that was him that she was talking to in the park," said Sergeant Darren Moss with the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department. "If you look at the facial features, they’re all the same, just slimmed down."
FOX 13 Seattle obtained probable cause documents from two years ago that break down the heinous accusations.
According to the documents, Steagall-Martinez got close to his victims through his role as a handyman at a mobile home park by befriending the little girls’ families.
He is then accused of raping a six-year-old girl and molesting two eight-year-old girls.
"Anyone who's willing to harm children in this way, they need to face accountability," said Moss.
There is a Tacoma Police precinct next to Wapato Park. However, investigators said the suspect was able to get away by using a public bus.
Two years ago, investigators believed Steagall-Martinez might flee the country to Mexico. Now, they are asking for the community's help to bring him to justice quickly.
"We really, really have a lot of urgency on this case. We need to get him in custody. This is not something that we trust him around other kids. We believe he could re-offend. We want to hold him responsible for these crimes, and we need the public’s help to find him," said Moss.
Crime Stoppers Tacoma Pierce County is offering a reward of up to $1,000 for any tips that lead to an arrest and charges filed.
You can contact the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department of Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or use the P3 Tips app.
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