Suspected rapist arrested in Alabama after eluding authorities for over a year

A Washington state man accused of rape and assault has been arrested in Alabama after spending more than a year as a fugitive. Robert Depasquale was wanted in Spokane County on felony charges of second-degree assault and third-degree rape, both of which investigators say involve allegations of domestic violence.

Depasquale was taken into custody on Wednesday by members of the US Marshals Service Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force, working alongside the US Marshals Service Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force and local law enforcement in Alabama. Authorities said Depasquale was arrested without incident and is currently being held in the Chambers County Jail in Lafayette, Alabama, pending extradition to Washington.

According to the US Marshals Service, Depasquale appeared before a Spokane County Superior Court judge in May 2025. After that court appearance, authorities say he fled Washington state, triggering a year-long manhunt.

Federal investigators later developed intelligence indicating that Depasquale was in Alabama, where the Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force coordinated with the Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force to locate and arrest him.

"The dedication and perseverance of our task force and partners paid off in bringing justice to the victim of Depasquale's alleged assaults," US Marshal Craig Thayer said in a statement.

The search for Depasquale involved multiple law enforcement agencies across the country, including the Spokane County Sheriff's Office, Spokane Valley Police Department, Lanett Police Department in Alabama, and the US Marshals Service's Pacific Northwest and Gulf Coast fugitive task forces.

The Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force is a US Marshals-led partnership that includes federal, state, and local officers from Washington, Oregon, and Alaska. Its mission is to locate and apprehend violent fugitives wanted on state and federal charges.

Depasquale is expected to be transported back to Spokane County to face the pending charges once the extradition process is complete.