Sex offender on the run for 5 years caught in Mexico, brought back to Georgia

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - An international fugitive and child sexual predator was captured and arrested in Mexico and extradited to Georgia after spending five years on the run.

According to the United States Marshals Service, Brad Hatter was arrested in Gwinnett County in December 2005 after police say he attempted to meet a 9-year-old girl for “sexual activity.” Officials say Hatter then was apprehended after going to the “planned rendezvous location.” In May 2007, officials say Hatter was “convicted of attempting to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity and sentenced to 108 months in prison.”

“Since 2018, Mr. Hatter has been looking over his shoulder, knowing one day Deputy United States Marshals would find him. On Saturday, December 3rd, that day arrived,” said Thomas Brown, U.S. Marshal for the Northern District of Georgia.

In 2017, officials say he was “released from detention” and mandated to register as a sex offender and report to a supervising federal probation officer.

In January 2018, Hatter “allegedly stopped reporting to his probation officer, stopped registering as a sex offender, and went into hiding.”

Hatter was located in Mexico where officials say he “worked as a teacher.” On Friday, U.S. Marshals Service officials and investigators apprehended Hatter and placed him in detention.

“The U.S. Marshals would not give up their hunt,” Brown said. “Hatter is now back where he belongs, in the custody of the United States Government.”