John Joseph Hartin, 46, formerly of Dorchester, Massachusetts, has been arrested in North Carolina after being a fugitive for 23 years.
Hartin was wanted for allegedly abusing two young boys, approximately 8 and 9 years old, whom he befriended in the Boston, Massachusetts area in 1993. He fled after being charged locally with five counts of statutory rape of a child. As a result, a federal arrest warrant was issued for Hartin on December 18, 1997, in Boston, Massachusetts, and he was charged with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.
The FBI Boston Division’s Child Exploitation Task Force is in the process of returning Hartin to Massachusetts to face those charges.
The FBI and Boston Police Department developed information that Hartin was living in Walkertown, North Carolina, under the assumed name Jay Matthew Carter. Hartin was taken into custody without incident at his home on Wednesday, June 15, 2016.
In 2012, Hartin was the subject of an FBI multi-state media campaign and a reward up to $25,000 was offered for information leading to his arrest.
“John Hartin thought by changing his name and moving out of state, he could avoid prosecution. However, he underestimated our resolve to track him down. The FBI hopes the victims of his alleged crimes will find some comfort in knowing that he will now have to answer for his actions,” said Shaw.
Boston Police Commissioner William B. Evans added,“Our commitment to justice has no time limit. This outcome should serve as a reminder that we never give up and we will find you. I also want to acknowledge the great work and collaboration throughout this case with our partners at the FBI and hope this news brings some comfort to all affected by this crime.”
