Fugitive Apprehension from Mexico
Posted on 03/08/2024
Date: March 8, 2024
Case: 20-40459 Fugitive Apprehension from Mexico
Authority: Lieutenant of Detectives Tim Kemps
Ingmar Adir Chew Moran, a 52-year-old former Kewaskum resident who had fled to Mexico in 2020 to avoid prosecution on serious sexual assault of a child charges is now in custody in the Washington County Jail. He appeared in front of Washington County Circuit Court Judge Hetzel earlier this morning on the outstanding warrant and was given a one-million-dollar cash bond. He faces 140 years of confinement on charges of Repeated Sexual Assault of a Child and Sexual Assault of a Child Under 16 years of age. Further charges are anticipated in the future involving a second victim.
On December 18, 2020, the Village of Kewaskum Police Department requested assistance from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office with the sexual assault investigation that they had been working on. Hours later, investigators conducted a search warrant at Chew’s Timblin Drive apartment. It was quickly learned that Chew had fled to Mexico earlier in the day.
Over the next three years, Washington County Sheriff’s investigators have worked closely with the FBI, US Department of Justice International Affairs Criminal Division, Washington County District Attorney’s Office, Mexican Authorities, and many more to lead us to where we are today. Washington County Sheriff Martin Schulteis said, “The process to obtain approval for Mexico to extradite one of their citizens is a long, arduous, and often frustrating process but in the end, hard work and tenacity paid off in the interest of justice. I was there the night of the search warrant back in 2020 and cannot describe the emotions we all experienced when we learned that Chew had narrowly avoided capture. Naturally, we all doubted whether we would ever see him again. My heart goes out to these victims and am hopeful that they will experience some level of peace knowing he is now back to answer these charges. Based on the high cash bail given, I am confident he will remain in our jail for the remainder of the justice process.”
Chew was taken into custody in Monterrey, Mexico in November of 2023 on these charges and had remained in a prison in Mexico City until this Wednesday when he was flown to Chicago by FBI agents. At that time, he was turned over to the Chicago Police Department. Chew waived extradition to Wisconsin yesterday and was taken into custody by Washington County Sheriff Investigators at the Cook County Jail and returned to Washington County.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office would like to extend our gratitude to all the partners who assisted in this case. In the interest of the victims, we will not be releasing any further details and ask that their privacy be respected.
According to the directive of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, as found in Supreme Court Rule 20:3.6, Trial Publicity, a charge is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.