A Pittsburgh sex offender who had been on the run for months is now in custody after authorities tracked him down in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Friday, bringing an interstate manhunt to a close.
Arrest ends interstate search
Police identified the suspect as Earl Kenney Jr., who Pittsburgh detectives had charged with rape of a juvenile, child endangerment, and failing to register as a sex offender in connection with an August 2025 incident. State corrections officials said Kenney was also wanted on a parole violation tied to a 2008 involuntary sexual intercourse conviction. The arrest in Charlotte followed a request for help from the U.S. Marshals Service, according to WPXI.
Marshals praise cross-state work
The U.S. Marshals' Western Pennsylvania Fugitive Task Force said it traced Kenney's movements into North Carolina, then coordinated with marshal teams there to take him into custody. "This dangerous individual is now off the streets and in custody," U.S. Marshal Stephen Eberle told WPXI.
How the task force works
The Western Pennsylvania Fugitive Task Force is a multi-agency unit that teams up with local departments to track down fugitives who cross state lines. According to the U.S. Marshals Service, the task force regularly coordinates with marshal offices in other states to carry out arrests, transfers, and returns to the charging jurisdiction.
Background on earlier investigation
Court records and prior coverage show Kenney was convicted of sex crimes against children in the late 2000s and had been listed on the state sex-offender registry. In December 2025, Pittsburgh police began looking for Kenney and a woman after four children were found living in what authorities described as deplorable conditions at a home on 128 Charles Street. Kenney faced dozens of counts in that investigation, according to WTAE.
What comes next
Officials have not released details about where Kenney is being held in North Carolina or when he might be brought back to Allegheny County to face the outstanding charges. Pittsburgh police and prosecutors are expected to determine extradition plans and next steps once North Carolina authorities finish processing his arrest.
