$10K Reward For Former North Shore Man Wanted For Child Rape: FBI

LYNN, MA — The Boston Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation is offering a $10,000 award for information leading to the arrest and conviction of a former North Shore man wanted for the possession of child pornography and child rape.

Melchor Datu, formerly of Lynn, has been wanted on a federal child pornography warrant since 2012. In 2017, an arrest warrant was issued in Lynn District Court charging him with the rape of a child by force.

Datu is Asian with brown eyes and would now be about 50 years ago. At the time of his accused crimes he had black hair and weighed about 140 pounds. He is about 5-foot-3 with a scar under one eye.

His last known residence was Estes Street in Lynn. He once worked as a handyman on the North Shore.

"The crimes for which Melchor Datu stands accused are disturbing and sickening and have robbed children of their childhood," Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division Joseph Bonavolonta said. "The FBI will never waiver in its commitment to protect our society's most vulnerable."

Born in the Philippines in 1971, his adopted parents brought him to the United States in the 1980s.

Investigators said they determined that Datu left Massachusetts on Dec. 17, 2008. He traveled to New York and took a flight to Florida from where he then flew to Haiti.

He was last known to be in the Dominican Republic in 2009. He also has family in New York and the Philippines.

His aliases include: Melchor Juico Datu; Melchor Luico Datv; Javier Sanchez, Xavier Belcher and Fred Datu.

"We are asking anyone with information about Datu’s whereabouts to contact us. No amount of information is too small or irrelevant," Bonavolonta said.

The FBI is asking the public to review Datu's wanted poster, which includes new photographs and an age-progressed photo of him the way he may look at 50 years old.

The FBI launched an international publicity campaign with targeted publicity in the countries to which Datu has been tied.

Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts is asked to immediately call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), their local law enforcement agency, or their nearest American embassy or consulate.

Tips can also be electronically submitted at tips.fbi.gov.