Joint operation with U.S. Marshals nets fugitive wanted for sexual battery of a six-year-old and failure to appear on a life sentence.
In a dramatic early morning arrest, a 39-year-old sexual offender known by the chilling moniker “Jaws” was taken into custody by the Martin County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) at Dupuis Park, ending a multi-state manhunt on Friday.
The fugitive, identified as Joseph Windfelder, was wanted in Forsyth County, North Carolina, on charges of sexual battery against a six-year-old child and for evading a life sentence related to the crime.
According to a statement from the MCSO, Windfelder’s apprehension was the result of a coordinated effort with the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force.
Authorities had been tracking the sexual offender, who had been on the run from North Carolina justice.
The self-given nickname “Jaws” was a macabre reference to the infamous fictional shark, and authorities noted the irony of his failed escape.
“His attempt failed this morning when deputies and U.S. Marshals tracked him to that park and moved in,” the MCSO release stated.
His capture in Martin County brings an end to his time as a fugitive and signals the beginning of his journey back to face justice.
Following his arrest, Windfelder is being held in custody and will be processed for extradition back to North Carolina. There, he is expected to face the original charges and begin serving his life sentence, bringing a close to this chapter of his evasion from law enforcement.
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