Concord,
NH – The United States Marshals Service – NH Joint Fugitive
Task Force is extremely happy to announce today’s arrest of a
Massachusetts rape suspect in Manchester, NH. It was the
concerted effort of the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Forces from both
Massachusetts and New Hampshire, along with members of the Manchester
(NH) Police Department and the Massachusetts State Police that led to
the location and arrest of a man suspected of raping two underage
victims in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Walter
Velez-Torres, 39 years-of-age, most recently of Manchester, NH was being
sought on two outstanding arrest warrants; the first warrant was issued
on March 3, 2022, by the Essex County (MA) Superior Court alleging; rape
of a child – statutory with a 5-year age difference or more, and
indecent assault & battery on a child under 14 (X2). The second arrest
warrant was issued on March 24, 2022, by the Worcester (MA) District
Court alleging; aggravated rape of a child with force, assault &
battery, and witness intimidation.
Information developed by the task force revealed
that Mr. Velez was residing in an apartment in the 600 block of Union
Street in Manchester, NH and reportedly owned a business in the 400
block of Lake Avenue, in Manchester. After a period of surveillance this
morning, Mr. Velez was observed arriving to his business on Lake Avenue,
where he was arrested without incident. Velez was transported to the
Manchester Police Department, where he was charged as a fugitive from
justice based on the two arrest warrants out of the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts. Mr. Velez will be held without bail at the Hillsborough
County Jail pending his court appearance in NH and eventual return to
Massachusetts to face these very egregious allegations.U.S.
Marshal Nick Willard said, “Allegations of this nature strike a chord in
both law enforcement and the public.” Willard continued, “These cases
are always the highest priority, and we are glad that we were able to
get Mr. Velez off the streets as quickly as we did.”Since the
inception of the U.S. Marshals – New Hampshire Joint Fugitive Task Force
in 2002, these partnerships have resulted in over 8,542 arrests (Updated
as of 12/31/2021). These arrests have ranged in seriousness from murder,
assault, unregistered sex offenders, probation and parole violations and
numerous other serious offenses. Nationally the United States Marshals
Service fugitive programs are carried out with local law enforcement in
94 district offices, 85 local fugitive task forces, 8 regional task
forces, as well as a growing network of offices in foreign countries.
Additional information about the U.S. Marshals Service can be found
at http://www.usmarshals.gov.
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First Federal Law Enforcement Agency