38 people arrested, 4 missing children recovered after operation targeting West Virginia sex offenders
More than three dozen people were arrested and four missing children were recovered after an operation in West Virginia targeting sex offenders, the U.S. Marshals Service announced this week.
"Operation Cupid's Arrow," a two-week effort that started on Feb. 1 and ended on Valentine's Day, resulted in 38 arrests. Of those, authorities said 15 were sex offenders who failed to register or had outstanding warrants for sex crimes.
During the operation, which focused on Kanawha County and the surrounding areas, West Virginia state police conducted 108 sex offender compliance checks, and 26 people were found in violation, resulting in arrest warrants. Authorities said five sex offenders were found to be in violation of the Adam Walsh Act, opening federal investigations.
Investigators also recovered four missing children, but didn't provide any more details about them. Authorities said they also seized four guns, over 95 grams of meth and 18 grams of fentanyl.
The U.S. Marshals Service said one of the people arrested was 50-year-old Christopher Rush of Elkview, who was charged with employment or use of a minor to produce obscene matter or assist in sexually explicit conduct. Authorities said Rush sent photos of himself sexually abusing a toddler to another man through a social media and messaging app.
Also arrested during the operation was 34-year-old Christopher Shawn Rider of Lewisburg. The U.S. Marshals said West Virginia state police had warrants for Rider after he failed to register as a sex offender. Rider was also wanted on a parole violation and had been evading law enforcement since the summer, authorities said. He was arrested in San Antonio, Texas.
Arrests were also made for other offenses like possession with intent to deliver controlled substances, child concealment, strangulation and federal probation violations, the U.S. Marshals said.
