Knoxville Police Department detectives are searching for Preston Rodriguez, a man wanted on an outstanding warrant for rape of a child, after new leads suggested he may have slipped back into the city following a stint in Texas. Investigators believe Rodriguez initially fled the state to evade the warrant before possibly returning to Knoxville, and they're now asking the public for help tracking him down.
According to East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers, detectives with the Knoxville Police Department are actively trying to locate Rodriguez, and per KPD detectives, he possibly fled to Texas before the leads placed him back in Knoxville. The organization is offering anonymous reporting for anyone with information on his whereabouts, and tipsters may receive a cash reward of up to $2,000 for information leading to his capture. As WBIR reported, the public search intensified after detectives received new leads pointing to Rodriguez's possible return to East Tennessee.
What the Charge Actually Means
Under Tennessee Code § 39-13-522, rape of a child is legally defined as unlawful sexual penetration committed against a victim between 8 and 13 years old, according to Justia Law. The offense is classified as a Class A felony in Tennessee, and a conviction carries a potential prison sentence of 15 to 60 years along with fines of up to $50,000, per the Davidson County Criminal Lawyer. A conviction would also trigger a mandatory requirement for lifetime registration on the Tennessee Sex Offender Registry, according to the Law Offices of Meredith Mochel.
How Tips Can Reach Investigators
People with information can call East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers at 877-363-8847, submit a tip online at easttnvalleycrimestoppers.org, or use the P3TIPS mobile app. The organization also accepts text tips by sending a message to ETTIPS at 738477, an option it added in November 2025 alongside its existing phone line, web portal, and app, per the organization's own announcement.
A Track Record of Cross-State Arrests
East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers was established in May 2021 as a regional non-profit designed to collect anonymous tips and assist law enforcement across Knoxville and surrounding counties, according to WBIR's earlier reporting. Between its 2021 launch and the end of May 2026, the organization says its tips led to 625 arrests, 425 cleared cases, and more than $110,000 in rewards paid to tipsters.
The Knoxville Police Department classifies Crime Stoppers as an operational component under the Major Crimes Division of its Investigations Bureau, working alongside the Homicide, Violent Crimes, and Organized Crime units. That structure has paid off before in fugitive cases that crossed state lines: in May 2025, tips submitted through the program helped the U.S. Marshals Service track down and arrest wanted suspect Ethan Johnston aboard a Greyhound bus in Mississippi, according to the Knoxville Police Department.
The Federal Reach Behind Interstate Manhunts
Cases like Rodriguez's, where a suspect is believed to have crossed state lines, can draw in federal authority. Under the federal Fugitive Felon Act and Tennessee's own extradition statute, law enforcement agencies can coordinate across state borders to apprehend fugitives who flee Tennessee for another state and extradite them back to face local prosecution, according to legal resources cited in the case background. Those mechanisms allow agencies such as the U.S. Marshals to pursue arrests nationwide, though it remains unclear whether any federal detainer has been requested specifically for Rodriguez.
The exact timeline of the alleged offense and when the warrant for Rodriguez was formally issued have not been detailed publicly. For now, investigators are relying on the public and the region's tip infrastructure to help close the gap between the leads they have and an arrest.
