Des Moines, Iowa - The U.S. Marshals Southern Iowa Fugitive Task Force is requesting the public's assistance in the search for convicted sex offender Courtney Cortez Chestnut, 29, of Des Moines. Chestnut is wanted by the Polk County Sheriff's Office for failure to register as a sex offender (2nd offense) and escape.
Chestnut is a black male with brown eyes and black hair. He is approximately 6'02" tall, and weighs 195 pounds. He has tattoos on both arms and may be wearing a thin mustache and beard. Chestnut is believed to frequent the South Side, Drake, and Merle Hay neighborhoods in Des Moines.
The public should not attempt to detain Courtney Chestnut themselves. Chestnut has a history of assault, sexual assault, and drug abuse. Anyone with information on Courtney Cortez Chestnut's whereabouts should contact U.S. Marshals at (515) 284-6240 or 1-877-WANTED2 (926-8332), Polk County Crime Stoppers at (515) 223-1400, or local law enforcement. Callers can remain confidential.
Since passage of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act (AWA) in 2006, U.S. Marshals have assisted state and local law enforcement agencies with locating and apprehending convicted sex offenders who fail to register or update their registration with the state sex offender registries (SORs). Under the AWA, failure to register as a sex offender or update a sex offender registration may be charged as a federal offense if the offender is found to have crossed state lines without notifying state SOR officials within the required time period.
The Southern Iowa Fugitive Task Force is a cooperative effort of the U.S. Marshals, the Polk County Sheriff's Office, the Iowa Department of Public Safety, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Additional information about the U.S. Marshals can be found at: http://www.usmarshals.gov.
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