Honduran on run deported 4 times

Rape suspect is known to hop trains

The Honduran rape suspect on the run after escaping early Monday from the Pulaski County courthouse has a history of evading the law, according to federal officials.

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Anael Castro-Hernandez, 30, who remained at large Tuesday after a multiagency manhunt Monday, has been deported four times and twice convicted of illegal re-entry, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesman Bryan Cox.

Castro-Hernandez served two prison sentences for the federal felonies, Cox said, and was returned to his native Honduras per federal policy. But the threat of prosecution did not deter him from returning to North Little Rock.

Cox didn't have any details about the lengths of the prison sentences, nor did he know where and when immigration officials had encountered Castro-Hernandez, other than in May 2013, when he was picked up by police in Memphis.

Castro-Hernandez, who faces three rape charges, accused of assaulting three girls ages 14, 13 and 10, was first reported to North Little Rock investigators May 8, 2013, in the sexual assault of a 10-year-old. He reportedly gave the girl two sexually transmitted diseases.

By the time detectives obtained an arrest warrant on May 14 last year, Castro-Hernandez had already fled, and was arrested by police in Memphis after they found him living under a bridge and held him at the request of immigration officials.

Castro-Hernandez is known to hop freight trains to avoid law enforcement, according to county officials.

Although Castro-Hernandez could be hiding in an area home, or even in the Fourche River area thickets and swamps, Pulaski County sheriff's office spokesman Lt. Carl Minden said it's possible he hopped a Union Pacific train before the county had time to get the railway company to halt traffic in that area.

"[Memphis] is one guess out of quite a few but if he's done it once then he might do it again," Minden said. "We've alerted [Memphis police] and [word of Castro-Hernandez] is on their local [media] affiliates."

Cox said the search for Castro-Hernandez falls on local law enforcement. Minden said his agency hasn't yet reached out for help from the U.S. Marshals Service, but he said it's a likely option.

While several tips rolled in Monday in the hours after Castro-Hernandez's escape, Minden said there were very few credible calls Tuesday.

Before his arrest, Castro-Hernandez worked in construction throughout the area, according to a report from the State Hospital. The hospital said Castro-Hernandez claimed to have crossed the border several times on his own, years after he fled from his Honduran village as an 8-year-old and took up a life on the street.

Castro-Hernandez was at court Monday morning to contest the findings of a mental-health examination that found him fit for trial. Before he entered the courthouse, he slipped his handcuffs and fled from jail deputies once they opened the door of the prisoner transport van.

The suspect eluded deputies after a few blocks, but was spotted hours later near Interstate Park, which was the last sighting of him.

Minden said it was still unclear how Castro-Hernandez was able to slip off his handcuffs, which were attached to a chain of inmates also going in court, but that the means of the man's escape will be a part of the internal investigation.

"We always do an internal investigating on this [kind of event] to see if there's any negligence on our part, or if there's a policy or protocol that needs to change," Minden said. "[Prisoners] got 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year to sit in [the jail] and figure out how they're going to try and escape. They've got plenty of time to think."

As of Tuesday, Minden said there was no indication that standard protocols were broken. Investigators are still developing any social- or work-related contacts that Castro-Hernandez may have in the area, and putting together search warrants.

Minden said his agency has met with the victims, as well as their parents, since Castro-Hernandez's escape. He said as of Tuesday, there was no indication that the suspect had tried to contact the victims.

Castro-Hernandez is described as 5 feet 1 inch tall, 118 pounds, with light skin, brown eyes and dark, shoulder-length hair. He was last seen wearing a white shirt and blue jail-issued pants.

Minden said Castro-Hernandez didn't appear to have a weapon, but given the nature of the crimes he is accused of committing, he is considered dangerous.

Authorities are offering up to $1,000 for any information that could lead to his capture.

Metro on 08/27/2014

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