Conneaut child rape suspect found hiding in Florida forest

Shelley Terry, Star Beacon, Ashtabula, Ohio
·1 min read

Feb. 16—OCALA, Florida — A Conneaut man accused of raping a minor was arrested Tuesday morning after he was discovered hiding in a van in a Florida forest.

Matthew Lee Rutter, 29, was wanted by the Ashtabula County Sheriff's Office and Conneaut Police Department for one count of felony rape and three felony counts of gross sexual imposition, according to Ashtabula County Common Pleas Court records.

Rutter disappeared last July after he was accused of sexually assaulting a minor from Jan. 11, 2017 to Jan. 10, 2019, according to the Marshals Service.

Rutter was spotted in western Pennsylvania and West Virginia, but eventually marshals tracked him to Florida.

Members of the Florida-Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force caught up with Rutter on Tuesday in Ocala National Forest, the Marshals Service said.

Rutter was hiding in an Astro van when he was taken into custody without incident.

Ashtabula County Sheriff William Niemi said getting criminals off the streets — no matter where they run — is all part of keeping Ashtabula County safe.

"As sheriff, I will continue to do everything I can and use any resources available to me to protect the citizens of Ashtabula County," he said.

Ocala National Forest is north of Orlando and south of Gainesville. It is a popular tourist attraction, with cabins and campgrounds. It covers more than 600 square miles.