U.S. Marshals Arrest Attempted Child Rapist

SEATTLE - The U.S. Marshals (USMS) Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force (PNVOTF) on Oct. 27 arrested a fugitive who was wanted on a felony warrant for attempted rape of a child and communicating with a minor for immoral purposes.

Phillip Wayne Pitts, 50, was wanted by the King County Sheriff’s Office for failing to appear with the original charges of attempted rape of a child and communicating with a minor for immoral purposes. 

Pitts was originally arrested on April 5, 2024, during a proactive regional operation led by the Washington Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force ( WA ICAC TF). Hosted by the Seattle Police Department, the WA ICAC TF is a multijurisdictional group of agencies dedicated to the protection of children from sexual abuse and exploitation.

On Feb. 23, after Pitts failed to appear for a court hearing related to the case, the King County Sheriff’s Office issued a felony warrant with a $100,000 bond. The warrant was adopted by the U.S. Marshals Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force.

On Oct. 27, Pitts was located and arrested without incident in the 5400 block of Delridge Way SW in Seattle. He was later booked into the King County Jail.

The PNVOTF is a U.S. Marshals-led partnership composed of federal, state, and local law enforcement officers from Washington, Oregon, and Alaska. The PNVOTF’s primary mission is to locate, apprehend, and return the most violent and egregious federal and state fugitives to the justice system.

Anyone with information on wanted fugitives is urged to contact the nearest U.S. Marshals office, the U.S. Marshals Service Communications Center at 1-800-336-0102 or the USMS Tips App.