Child rape suspect captured in Blaine

A man alleged to have assaulted and raped two young girls was captured by the U.S. Marshals in Blaine with assistance from the Blaine Police Department.

On October 30, the U.S. Marshals Service’s Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force (PNVOTF) arrested 36-year-old Justin Ortega, who was wanted by the Yakima Police Department on four counts of first-degree rape of a child, two counts of child molestation and one count of third-degree assault of a child.

Ortega’s crimes allegedly occurred on October 10. In the following days, the Yakima Police Department asked for the public’s help in locating Ortega. “Do not approach Ortega if he is seen, as he is considered to be armed and dangerous,” read an October 18 Facebook post by the Yakima Police Department.

On October 26, Ortega was highlighted on an episode of Washington’s Most Wanted. On October 29, PNVOTF’s Yakima team received actionable information from Washington’s Most Wanted viewers that Ortega was traveling back and forth between Bellingham and Blaine.

“A lead was forwarded to our PNVOTF Snohomish team, who deployed surveillance and arrest teams into Blaine,” read a U.S. Marshals news release on October 30. “At approximately 1800 hours this evening, the PNVOTF surrounded a residence in Blaine with assistance from the Blaine Police Department and began calling Ortega out. Ultimately, the PNVOTF forced entry and arrested Ortega.”

The Blaine Police Department played a role in the operation. “Blaine police officers were asked to assist the U.S. Marshals Service/PNVOTF in attempting to apprehend Justin Ortega,” read a statement from the Blaine Police Department. “We were alerted to his outstanding warrants and the possibility he could be in the Blaine area. Blaine Police Department officers were requested to hold a perimeter for the U.S. Marshals Service team. After breaching the door, Ortega was taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service team. BPD cleared after the scene was secure and their assistance was no longer needed.”

The PNVOTF is a U.S. Marshals Service-sponsored partnership composed of federal, state and local law enforcement officers from Washington, Oregon and Alaska. The primary mission of the PNVOTF is to locate, arrest and return to the justice system the most violent and most egregious federal and state fugitives.