Fugitive Arrested After Year on the Run, Faces Rape and Child Abuse Charges

Keith Welch spent roughly a year eluding the Prince George's County Sheriff's Office before a tip to Crime Solvers brought his run to an end. Authorities took him into custody on charges of second-degree rape, second-degree assault and several additional counts tied to repeated sexual abuse of a child he knew personally.

The Prince George's County Sheriff's Office said the charges stem from multiple inappropriate sexual encounters with the child, incidents that officials say occurred over a period of several years. Investigators worked alongside the Prince George's County Child Advocacy Center, a resource that coordinates law enforcement, medical, and child welfare responses to abuse cases in the county, as the probe developed and charges were ultimately brought against Welch.

The breakthrough in locating Welch came through Crime Solvers, the anonymous tip line that connects residents with investigators. After receiving that tip, authorities were able to track him down and take him into custody. The sheriff's office has not publicly disclosed where Welch was found or the specific circumstances of the arrest.

Beyond the second-degree rape and assault charges, officials indicated Welch faces several other charges, though the full list of counts had not been detailed in public reporting as of Thursday. No arraignment date, bond status, or court information had been released.

The Prince George's County Child Advocacy Center, which operates as a hub for coordinated responses to child abuse cases in the county, played a direct role in building the case that eventually put Welch in custody after more than a year as a fugitive.