JUANA DÍAZ, Puerto Rico — After nearly 40 years on the run, authorities have captured a 67-year-old man who was wanted for a Cleveland rape dating back to January 1981.
Julio Rentas was taken into custody in Juna Diaz, Puerto Rico, approximately 65 miles southwest of San Juan, authorities announced Monday morning.
Here is the timeline of events connected to the case:
- Jan. 4, 1981: Rentas allegedly raped a 14-year-old girl by sneaking into her Cleveland bedroom.
- Jan. 25, 1981: He was arrested and released after Cleveland police issued a city-wide “be on the lookout.”
- March 25, 1981: Rentas failed to appear for his court hearing, and began his life on the run.
- Sept. 9, 2020: Rentas was arrested late in the afternoon.
After recently taking the case, the Cold Case Unit of the US Marshals Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force said they identified several associates in the greater New York City area as well as Daytona, Florida.
“Information was developed that Rentas had been hiding in Puerto Rico since the early 2000s,” authorities said in a press release.
The task force established surveillance on Rentas, and he was later apprehended.
“No matter how far fugitives flee and no matter how long they think they can hide, the United States Marshals Service will never give up on looking for them and we will always bring justice to the victims of these horrendous crimes,” U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott stated.
Rentas is scheduled to appear before a judge in Puerto Rico this Thursday for an identity and extradition hearing.
