A multi-year manhunt for fugitive sex offender Robert Hartsock ended in Pueblo on Monday, when a coordinated team of federal and local officers moved in and took him into custody. The arrest capped a search that stretched across state lines and involved U.S. Marshals, state agents and local deputies. Officials have not yet released details on any Colorado charges or whether Hartsock will be returned to Indiana.
Multi-agency Roundup In Pueblo
Members of the U.S. Marshals Service's Colorado Violent Offender Task Force teamed up with agents from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, deputies from the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office and officers from the Colorado Department of Corrections in the operation, according to the U.S. Marshals Service. The task force focuses on tracking violent fugitives and repeat offenders across Colorado and regularly works with local partners.
Authorities said Hartsock's capture in Pueblo followed a targeted investigation rather than a random stop, suggesting he had been on law enforcement's radar for some time before Monday's arrest.
Wanted In Indiana For Failure To Register
Officials identified the suspect as Robert Hartsock and said he was wanted in Indiana on a charge of failing to register as a sex offender, according to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation on X. The bureau's post, which amplified a message from the Denver field office of the U.S. Marshals Service, noted that Hartsock had been on the run since 2019.
Authorities did not immediately release information on where Hartsock had been living prior to his arrest or how long he had been in Pueblo.
Legal Fallout And What Comes Next
Under Indiana law, failure to register as a sex offender can be prosecuted as a felony, with penalties that increase based on prior convictions and aggravating factors. The statute is outlined in Indiana Code § 11-8-8-17.
Investigators have not yet said whether Indiana prosecutors will immediately seek Hartsock's extradition or when formal court filings will land on a judge's desk. For now, officials are tight-lipped about the timeline.
The arrest adds another tally to the Colorado Violent Offender Task Force's growing track record. The U.S. Marshals Service reported that the task force cleared nearly 500 fugitive arrests across Colorado in 2025, underscoring how often these cross-jurisdictional partnerships come into play.
Local authorities are asking anyone with information about Hartsock's movements before his capture to contact the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office. This story will be updated as court documents and official statements are released.
