Valdes located in Arizona

ARIZONA - On July 18, 2017 Sheriff Brian Burnett reports Sergio I. Valdes was located and arrested in Phoenix, Arizona.  

On May 29, 2017, Valdes was involved in a physical altercation at Slide Waters in Chelan, Wash.  When Valdes left the scene he took his two young children, a 6-month old and an 18-month old, and fled the area.  The Chelan County Sheriff’s Office notified our local community and sent out a nationwide alert attempting to locate Valdes and the two children.  The Sheriff’s Office Detective Unit also worked with the National Center for missing and exploited children and Washington’s Most Wanted to try to locate Valdes and the children.  All involved agencies were working diligently to locate Valdes.

On July 17, 2017 the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office developed a possible location for Valdes in Phoenix, Arizona.  Our Detective Unit notified the U.S. Marshal’s Service, specifically the Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force.  The Pacific Northwest Offender Task Force than worked with another Marshal’s Task Force in Phoenix and were able to successfully locate and arrest Valdes.  Both children were located in good health and were taken into protective custody.  Our local Child Protective Services is working with the children’s mother and Phoenix agencies for the children’s safe return.

Arrangements are being made to transport Valdes back to Chelan County when he will be charged with Custodial Interference 1st degree, a felony, and other crimes.  Valdes is also awaiting his sentencing in Douglas County for crimes he was convicted of prior to fleeing the Slide Waters incident.