A U.S. Marshals-led fugitive task force arrested a 16-year-old today in connection with a June 11 sexual assault in Cleveland Heights, bringing a fast-moving manhunt in a high-traffic neighborhood to a tense close.
Officers with the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force took the juvenile into custody at a home on the 7200 block of Ottawa Road after serving an arrest warrant, officials said. Cleveland Heights police say the attack happened at gunpoint near the intersection of East Derbyshire and Lee roads just after 9 p.m.
Authorities identified the suspect as 16-year-old Dalen Matthew and confirmed that the arrest was carried out by the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force. "A suspect like this needs to be taken off the streets quickly to continue to keep our communities safe," U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott said in a statement to Cleveland 19. The outlet reports that a warrant for the teen's arrest was issued June 24.
Who Carried Out The Arrest
The operation was led by the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force, a U.S. Marshals-led multiagency unit that teams up with local police and state partners to track down violent fugitives and execute warrants. The U.S. Marshals Service outlines the task force's structure and recent apprehensions in public press releases and on its website.
Details Of The Attack And Warrant
Cleveland Heights police say the victim was assaulted at gunpoint near East Derbyshire and Lee roads just after 9 p.m. on June 11. Detectives later sought a warrant for the suspect's arrest, and those case details, along with the Ottawa Road arrest location, were reported by Cleveland 19.
Investigation Still Active
Police had previously identified a teen connected to the attack earlier this week, according to WKYC, and investigators say the probe remains active. Authorities are urging anyone with information to contact the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force tip line. The U.S. Marshals Service provides instructions for submitting tips and lists its dedicated phone line on its website.
