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For Immediate Release |
Contact: |
| March 02, 2010 |
Dominic Guadagnoli, Public Affairs Officer Florida Regional Fugitive Task Force (850) 554-6602 USMS Headquarters Public Affairs (202) 307-9065 |
| U.S. Marshals and Local Officers Catch Rape Suspect in Car “Sting” |
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Niceville, FL – The U.S. Marshals Florida
Regional Fugitive Task Force arrested a man yesterday who is wanted for
sexually battering an Okaloosa woman and held her in an apartment against
her will last month. The alleged suspect, Alvaro Ignacio Abaunza, 40, of
Crestview was arrested around 4 pm by Task Force members from the Okaloosa
and Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Offices, Ft. Walton Beach and Defuniak
Springs Police Departments, Florida Department of Law Enforcement along with
assistance from Crestview Police Department. According to warrant reports,
on February 21 in Okaloosa County Abaunza reportedly kidnapped and sexually
battered the victim and had a weapon. Task Force investigators working with
the above law enforcement agencies formulated a plan to lure Abaunza to a
small car dealership located on the 200 Block of John Sims Parkway in
Niceville; after they had learned that Abaunza had made a previous
arrangement to sell a vehicle to an unknown man. The Task Force used an
under cover officer from the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office as the
prospective buyer. Surveillance teams identified Abaunza standing in the
back parking lot of the dealership. The under cover officer then got
Abaunza’s attention and a Task Force takedown team moved in and took Abaunza
into custody without incident. Abaunza has previous arrests and convictions
for sexual battery, escape, robbery with a firearm and fraud. He was taken
to the Okaloosa County Jail and booked with no bond. The Pensacola Florida Regional Task Force made over 110 arrests last year in which about 40 of them were cases related to sex crimes. Additional information about the U.S. Marshals can be found at http://www.usmarshals.gov. |