Â鶹´«Ã½

William Lee Martin III, 55, was wanted for the charge of first-degree rape of a child. The warrant was issued in Caldwell County, a news release from the Western District of Virginia branch of the United States Marshals Service said.

Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office Maj. Aaron Barlowe said the reported crime happened in the early 1990s. Martin is accused of impregnating a minor in 1990. The victim reported the crime last year following the death of the victim’s child, Barlowe said.

Following the report, Martin was charged with statutory rape, Barlowe said.

The arrest

Martin was arrested on July 26 in Sullivan County, Tennessee, the release said. Sullivan County is north of Johnson City at the Virginia-Tennessee state line.

Martin was living in Webber City, Virginia, according to Sullivan County Jail records. Martin was working near the Tennessee-Virginia border, Barlowe said.

The U.S. Marshals Service Western District of Virginia Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force received a lead on July 25 from the U.S. Marshals Service Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force that Martin was potentially in Scott County, Virginia, the release said.

Scott County, Virginia, borders Sullivan County, Tennessee.

The Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force confirmed Martin had been in Scott County and was traveling with a minor child with limited verbal skills, the release said.

The task force determined the child to be endangered and intensified the search for Martin. 

Martin was arrested in Kingsport, Tennessee, and the child was safely recovered, the release said.

Martin is being held in Tennessee until he can be extradited back to Caldwell County, Barlowe said.

“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,� acting U.S. Marshal for the Western District of Virginia Matt Davis said in the release.