A 52-year-old fugitive, who is facing child sexual abuse charges, was apprehended in Florida following a month-long manhunt, according to Law and Crime Wednesday.
Sean Christopher Williams was captured due to a tip from Tasha Baumgartner, a 7/11 store clerk in Florida. Baumgartner identified Williams by a distinctive tattoo and linked him to his wanted poster, Law and Crime reported. Williams’ arrest occurred shortly after he visited the convenience store to purchase a hot dog.
Baumgartner discreetly followed Williams after the transaction and subsequently contacted the police. “I just felt weird about it, so I rang him up. He bought a hot dog. … I called the police and told them. He was in my store. I know he was,” she said, per News Nation.
The #FBI is seeking the public’s help in locating Sean Williams, wanted for escaping custody in TN. Williams was last seen today in Pinellas County, FL. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call 911. More details here: https://t.co/TgICdfNK2c @USMarshalsHQ pic.twitter.com/MjLhvtlWuh
— FBI Tampa (@FBITampa) November 21, 2023
He had apparently left behind a stolen vehicle and personal belongings in his rush to evade capture, as reported by Fox 17. (RELATED: REPORT: Inmate Escapes Custody Two Times In Two Months)
Law enforcement officials escalated their search for Williams in Pinellas County, Florida, since the FBI had noted that Williams was sighted in the county, per Fox 17. Williams is charged with multiple offenses, including the rape of a child, aggravated sexual battery, and aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor, under Tennessee state laws. In addition, he faces charges related to child sexual exploitation and firearms in a federal court.
Prior to his arrest, Williams had been held in Kentucky following a failed escape attempt in Washington County, Tennessee, per Fox 17. While being transported to a federal courthouse in Greeneville, Tennessee, he managed to flee through a broken back window of the transport van. The FBI later reported that he had used someone’s phone several blocks away from the courthouse.