US Marshals arrest fugitive wanted for attempted child rape in Seattle

Authorities announced Monday that Phillip Wayne Pitts, 50, was arrested without incident on October 27 in the 5400 block of Delridge Way Southwest in West Seattle. Members of the US Marshals Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force took him into custody and subsequently booked him into the King County Jail.

According to the Marshals Service, Pitts was wanted on a felony warrant related to charges of attempted rape of a child and communicating with a minor for immoral purposes.

His original arrest came on April 5, 2024, during a proactive regional operation led by the Washington Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Hosted by the Seattle Police Department, the task force brings together law enforcement agencies investigating child sexual abuse and exploitation.

A King County Superior Court plea calendar dated January 5, 2026, listed Pitts as out of custody while the case was pending. The entry included a scheduled guilty-plea proceeding, a reference to attempted second-degree child molestation, and an “Auto-remand” notation.

On February 23, a felony warrant carrying a $100,000 bond was issued after Pitts failed to appear for a court hearing related to the case. The King County Sheriff’s Office sought Pitts, and the Marshals task force adopted the warrant before locating him in October.

The Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force is a Marshals-led partnership involving federal, state, and local law enforcement officers from Washington, Oregon, and Alaska that tracks fugitives wanted for serious offenses.

Anyone with information about wanted fugitives can contact their nearest US Marshals office, call 1-800-336-0102, or submit information through the USMS Tips App.