NANTUCKET, Mass. — A fugitive wanted on child sex trafficking charges was arrested on Nantucket on the morning of Oct. 8 in a coordinated multi-agency operation, ending a manhunt that stretched across Eastern Massachusetts for Rigoberto Chavez-Regaldo.
TL;DR: Rigoberto Chavez-Regaldo, 40, was taken into custody without incident by the U.S. Marshals Service District of Massachusetts fugitive task force, with help from Brockton Police, Massachusetts State Police, the MSP Air Wing, and Nantucket Police. He is charged in Plymouth County with trafficking minors for sexual servitude, aggravated rape, statutory rape of a child, and related offenses tied to alleged activity in Brockton and elsewhere in Eastern Massachusetts. He was arraigned in Brockton District Court on Oct. 8 and is being held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing on Tuesday, Oct. 13.
The charges
According to the U.S. Marshals Service, Chavez-Regaldo faces a sweeping list of charges in Plymouth County:
Sexual Conduct for a Fee (two counts), Aggravated Rape involving serious bodily injury, Aggravated Statutory Rape of a Child, Rape of a Child with Force, Trafficking a Person for Sexual Servitude (two counts), Indecent Assault and Battery on a person over 14, Selling or Delivering Liquor to a person under 21, and Enticing a Child under 16.
The charges stem from alleged criminal activity in Brockton and elsewhere in Eastern Massachusetts involving the trafficking of minors. To protect the privacy of the minor victims, authorities said they will not release additional details.
All of the charges are allegations. Chavez-Regaldo is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
A manhunt across Eastern Massachusetts
Investigators worked across Eastern Massachusetts to track Chavez-Regaldo before the trail led to Nantucket, the island community about 30 miles off the coast of Cape Cod. The arrest on the morning of Oct. 8 was the result of a coordinated effort by the USMS District of Massachusetts Fugitive Task Force, Brockton Police, the Massachusetts State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section, the MSP Air Wing, and the Nantucket Police Department.
The Marshals Service credited the rapid response of the MSP Air Wing as critical to the safe and successful apprehension, and said the arrest was made without incident.
‘Allegations concerning the sexual exploitation and trafficking of children are arguably the most disturbing we encounter,’ said Dennis Matulewicz, head of the U.S. Marshals for the District of Massachusetts. ‘Protecting young people from predators is our highest obligation as a society, and the USMS and our law enforcement partners will use every resource at our disposal to pursue anyone who preys on them.’
What happens next
Chavez-Regaldo was arraigned on the charges in Brockton District Court late on Oct. 8. The Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office moved for a dangerousness hearing — a proceeding in which prosecutors ask a judge to keep a defendant detained before trial because they pose a danger to the community.
He is being held without bail pending the outcome of that hearing, scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026.
The USMS District of Massachusetts Fugitive Task Force draws participants from dozens of agencies, including the Massachusetts State Police, Boston Police, Brockton Police, the Hampden County Sheriff’s Department, the FBI’s partners at the ATF and DEA, and the Massachusetts National Guard Counter Drug Program, among others.
A case built on protecting minors
Child trafficking investigations are among the most sensitive cases law enforcement handles, and officials are deliberately tight-lipped about the specifics. What is public is the scale of the alleged conduct: multiple counts spanning sexual assault, trafficking for sexual servitude, and the enticement of children under 16.
For the communities involved — Brockton, where the alleged activity centered, and Nantucket, where the arrest unfolded — the case is a reminder that trafficking networks do not respect geography. An island 30 miles offshore offered no refuge from a task force built specifically to find people who run.
Matulewicz added that the thoughts and prayers of the Marshals Service are with the children affected by the alleged crimes as they heal and move forward.
Source: U.S. Marshals Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was arrested on Nantucket?
Rigoberto Chavez-Regaldo, 40. He was arrested on the morning of Oct. 8, 2026, by the U.S. Marshals Service District of Massachusetts fugitive task force in a coordinated multi-agency operation.
What is he charged with?
In Plymouth County, he faces charges including Trafficking a Person for Sexual Servitude (two counts), Aggravated Rape involving serious bodily injury, Aggravated Statutory Rape of a Child, Rape of a Child with Force, Sexual Conduct for a Fee (two counts), Indecent Assault and Battery, selling liquor to a minor, and enticing a child under 16. All are allegations; he is presumed innocent.
Where did the alleged crimes occur?
According to the Marshals Service, the alleged criminal activity occurred in Brockton and elsewhere in Eastern Massachusetts and involved the trafficking of minors.
Which agencies made the arrest?
The USMS District of Massachusetts Fugitive Task Force, Brockton Police, the Massachusetts State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section, the MSP Air Wing, and the Nantucket Police Department. The arrest was made without incident.
Is he still in custody?
Yes. He was arraigned in Brockton District Court on Oct. 8 and is being held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026.
What is a dangerousness hearing?
It is a court proceeding in which prosecutors ask a judge to keep a defendant detained before trial on the grounds that the person poses a danger to the community.
Why aren’t more details being released?
To protect the privacy of the minor victims involved, authorities said additional details will not be released.
How can I report information about a fugitive?
The U.S. Marshals Service asks the public to call 1-877-WANTED2 or email tips to [email protected].
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