Marshals, Police Find Fugitive Sex Offenders

CONCORD, NH - The New Hampshire U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force has been on the hunt for William Soltan for about 24 hours now since he was listed as this week’s Fugitive of the Week. However, in the process of looking for him, with the assistance of Manchester Police, the task force found two others last night.

According to Deputy Marshal Jeffrey White, Peggy Hale, 58, pictured left, and Erik Van Winkle, 35, were both arrested on April 6, 2016, on outstanding warrants.

Editor’s note: This post was derived from information supplied by the U.S. Marshals. It does not indicate a conviction. Click this link to find out how to get a name removed from a New Hampshire Patch police report.

“Hale is required to maintain her sex offender registration as a result of a conviction and sentence she received in Hillsborough County Superior Court for aggravated felonious sexual assault in December of 1992,” White noted. “Van Winkle is required to register as a sex offender as a result of his August, 2007 conviction for two counts of prohibited use of computer services with the victim being under 16 years of age.”

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Hale sexually assaulted a victim under 18, according to HomeFacts.com; for Van Winkle’s computer services charges, the victim was under 16.

Both Hale and Van Winkle were brought to the Manchester Police Department for booking and holding on their outstanding arrest warrants, White noted. These arrests were a cooperative effort made by members of the U.S. Marshals – N.H. Joint Fugitive Task Force and the Manchester Police Department.

White added that the U.S. Marshals Sex Offender Investigations Branch (SOIB) was created in July 2006, following the passage of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act (AWA). The SOIB's role is to carry out the U.S. Marshals Service responsibilities in connection with the AWA including: assisting state, local, tribal and territorial authorities in the location and apprehension of non-compliant and fugitive sex offenders, as well as Investigate violations of the Adam Walsh Act for federal prosecution, he said.

“This partnership between the U.S. Marshals SOIB and local law enforcement has been a great tool in helping to enforce the laws that were designed to protect our children from the level 3 sex offenders that are the most likely to offend again,” said U.S. Marshals Senior Inspector Mark Lewis.