New Jersey Child Sexual Assault Suspect Arrested In New Hampshire

CONCORD, NH — A New Jersey fugitive, who has been on the run from child sexual assault charges since last year, was arrested on Wednesday.

The New Hampshire Joint Fugitive Task Force captured Kedin Mejia-Ayala, 33, with a last known address of Trenton, NJ, in Tamworth. Jeffrey White, a deputy marshal in the Granite State, said investigators developed information the suspect might be in the North Conway.

Mejia-Ayala, he noted, had an active warrant out of New Jersey on sexual assault on a victim under the age of 13, aggravated sexual assault on a victim between the ages of 13 and 16 years of age, and endangering the welfare of a child charges. After the arrest warrant was issued on April 16, 2021, the case was referred to the U.S. Marshals and the New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force not long after. Leads and tips led investigators to New Hampshire.

“Members of the U.S. Marshals, NH Joint Fugitive Task Force with the assistance of the NH State Police and the Tamworth Police Department were able to locate and arrest Mejia-Ayala at a residential work site on Chocorua Road in Tamworth,” White said. “Although Mejia-Ayala initially attempted to flee and provided a false name of ‘Alejandro’ to investigators, once detained, he did state that he was Kedin Mejia-Ayala.”

Mejia-Ayala was taken to the Carroll County Jail in Ossipee as a fugitive from justice based on the outstanding Mercer County, NJ, warrant.

“I am extremely proud of the work that all of the investigators did on this case,” United States Marshal Nick Willard said. “Offenses against our youth will not be tolerated and we will always prioritize taking people like Mr. Mejia-Ayala off the street so they can have their day in court.”

Mejia-Ayala will be processed this week and then returned to New Jersey, White said.

Editor's note: This post was derived from information supplied by the U.S. Marshals Service and does not indicate a conviction. This link explains the removal request process for New Hampshire Patch police reports.

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