The U.S. Marshals Southern District of West Virginia CUFFED Task Force and West Virginia State Police (WVSP) have just ended a two-week-long operation targeting non-compliant sex offenders in Kanawha County, as well as surrounding areas.
Operation Cupid’s Arrow began Feb. 1 and concluded on Valentine’s Day.
During the operation 38 arrests were made, 15 of which were for sex offenders who failed to register as sex offenders or those who had warrants for sex crimes. The WVSP conducted 108 sex offender compliance checks, and from those, 26 were found to be out of compliance. Arrest warrants were obtained for those out of compliance.
Notable arrests include:
Christopher Shawn Rider, 34, of Lewisburg, was taken into custody in San Antonio, TX, on Feb. 6. Rider had warrants from the WVSP for failure to register as a sex offender. He was also wanted by the WV Department of Corrections and rehabilitation on a parole violation. Rider has been evading apprehension from law enforcement since June of 2024 and has been out of sex offender compliance.
Christopher Rush, 50, of Elkview, was arrested Feb. 11 for employment or use of a minor to produce obscene matter or assist in sexually explicit conduct. Rush is alleged to have sent photos of himself sexually abusing a toddler to another man over a social media and messaging app.
Other arrests are for various offenses to include possession with intent to deliver controlled substances, child concealment, malicious wounding, strangulation, and federal probation violations.
Investigators also recovered four missing children during the operation, seized four firearms, 95.02 grams of methamphetamine and 18 grams of fentanyl.
The U.S. Marshals Service also found five noncompliant sex offenders to be in violation of the Adam Walsh Act. Federal investigations were opened on those five sex offenders.
If anyone knows the whereabouts of any noncompliant sex offender, you can submit a tip anonymously using USMS Tips or call 1-877-WANTED-2 or call the West Virginia State Police. Tips are kept confidential.
Agencies involved in the operation included the U.S. Marshals CUFFED Task Force, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), West Virginia State Police, West Virginia State Police – Sex Offender Registry, West Virginia State Police – Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC), West Virginia State Police – Bureau of Criminal Investigation, West Virginia Intelligence Exchange (WVIX), Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, Fayette County Sheriff’s Office, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Mingo County Sheriff’s Office, Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office, Charleston Police Department, Dunbar Police Department, Kenova Police Department, Parkersburg Police Department, Saint Albans Police Department, and the South Charleston Police Department.
