Federal agents are searching for William John Shaeffer, 45, a Maryland man convicted in connection with a 2002 rape, who is now wanted for violating the terms of his federal supervised release. Authorities say DNA evidence later tied Shaeffer to the attack, and he served a 16-year sentence before being released to federal supervision. Officials report that a warrant was issued last year after investigators alleged he ignored the conditions of his release.
Charging documents state that in 2002, the victim was using a payphone when she was approached and taken to a nearby home, where investigators allege the suspect pushed her down a flight of stairs, knocked her unconscious, then tied her up and forced sex. A sexual-assault forensic exam produced an unknown DNA profile that investigators say matched Shaeffer in 2010 and ultimately led to charges. Officials told reporters he was found more than 250 miles away in Butner, North Carolina. Shaeffer was charged with first-degree rape, first-degree assault, first-degree sex offense, second-degree assault, and false imprisonment, and was later sentenced to 16 years in prison followed by mandatory supervised release, as reported by FOX45 News.
The U.S. Marshals Service is leading the effort to track Shaeffer down and has activated its Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force along with local partners, a tactic the agency has also used in recent Baltimore-area operations. In public releases, the Marshals describe those multi-agency sweeps as a way to clear outstanding warrants and capture violent fugitives across jurisdictions. Recent press materials highlight the District of Maryland’s use of task-force operations in multi-agency enforcement efforts, according to the U.S. Marshals Service…