Fugitive sex offender back in custody after hiding in Mexico for 17 years

On Dec. 20, a dangerous fugitive sex offender was back in custody in the Clark County Detention Center.

On Dec. 13, Robert Sturgiss was arrested in Rosarito, Mexico by Mexican immigration officials. Sturgiss was wanted in Nevada for a parole violation. Sturgiss was convicted of sexual assault Nov. 12, 1991, where he engaged in illegal sexual contact with a 13-year-old victim.

He was deemed a present and future danger to those in the community at the time of his sentencing. He received a sentence of five years to life in prison.

In May of 2005, Sturgiss was granted parole, and in July of 2007, he absconded from the supervision. A joint fugitive investigation conducted by the U.S Marshals Service Nevada Violent Offender Task Force in Reno, Nevada State Police, Division of Parole and Probation, Warrants and Extraditions Unit, Homeland Security Investigations, USMS in Tijuana, Mexico and Mexican Immigration authorities resulted in Sturgiss being located and arrested in Rosarito, Mexico.

Sturgiss, a U.S. Citizen was turned over to the US Marshal’s Service at the Mexican border in San Diego, California on Dec. 13. On Dec. 20, officers from the Division of Parole and Probation extradited Sturgiss back to Nevada from California.

U.S. Marshal Gary Schofield said, “This arrest reflects our commitment to protecting victims and removing dangerous individuals through strong collaboration across the state.”

The Nevada Violent Offender Task Force comprises of law enforcement officers from the U.S. Marshals Service; Carson City Sheriff’s Office; Boulder City Police Department; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; City of Las Vegas DPS; City of North Las Vegas City Marshals; Clark County District Attorney’s Office; Douglas County Sheriff’s Office; Drug Enforcement Administration; Henderson Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Immigration and Customs Enforcement; Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department; Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office; Lyon County Sheriff’s Office; Mineral County Sheriff’s Office; Nevada Department of Corrections; Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles; Nevada Gaming Control Board; Nevada State Police; Nevada Parole and Probation; North Las Vegas Police Department; Nye County Sheriff’s Office; Reno Police Department; Sparks Police Department; Washoe County District Attorney’s Office; and the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office.

Anyone with information on wanted fugitives is urged to contact the nearest U.S. Marshals office, the U.S. Marshals Service Communications Center at (800) 336-0102, or USMS Tips at www.usmarshals.gov/tips.

Additional information about the U.S. Marshals Service can be found at usmarshals.gov.