Former Abilene youth pastor wanted by U.S. Marshals arrested in Mexico
ZAPOPAN, Jalisco — A former Abilene youth pastor who was one of the U.S. Marshals' 15 Most Wanted was arrested in Mexico.
According to a news release, Jeffrey Winston Forrest, 47, was arrested Friday afternoon in a grocery drive-thru in in Zapopan, Mexico, west of Guadalajara.
Jeffrey “N”, a former youth minister in Texas and who was in the US Marshals’ 15 most wanted was arrested Friday afternoon by members of the State Attorney’s Office, Zapopan Police Department, and the National Institute of Immigration (INM).
The Subject was located in a drive-through store in Zapopan, Jalisco after his presence and identity were confirmed with the existing alert in the USA from some years ago.
Jeffrey “N” was a youth minister in various churches and used his position to commit diverse counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child.
He was arrested in April for two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child, bail jumping, and failure to appear. The U.S. Marshals joined the manhunt for Forrest after he was charged with fleeing to avoid prosecution.
According to the investigations in the USA, Jeffrey “N” had planned to hide in Mexico and having knowledge of software technology such as web pages he was able to deceive the authorities.
Forrest was wanted by the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office for two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child, bail jumping, and failure to appear.
During the '90s, Forrest worked as a daycare worker at Pioneer Drive Baptist Church. He was also a youth minister at several other churches in Abilene.
Forrest was arrested in 2015 after four boys came forward and accused him of sexually assaulting them. The victims said Forrest repeatedly assaulted them from the ages of 8 to 15.
His trial was schedule for 2016 but he never showed up.
U.S. Marshals said Forrest planned to flee to Mexico and obtain a new identity.
According to Marshals, Forrest used his knowledge of the dark web and communication software to mask his digital footprint.
Forrest will be deported back to the U.S. to face charges.
Zapopan is 1,030 miles southwest of Abilene.
