Former Fort Huachuca Army Captain Christopher Wilkinson was apprehended by US Marshals in Bluffs, Illinois, on September 18 after being on the run for nearly five years.
Wilkinson was wanted on indecent exposure and abusive sexual contact allegations after failing to appear at his court-martial hearing, according to a news statement.
“No child should ever have to endure any abuse, let alone this heinous crime,” stated U.S. Marshal Van Bayless of the District of Arizona.
Wilkinson was first wanted by the US Marshals Arizona WANTED Violent Offender Task Force in February 2021, in response to a request by Fort Huachuca military members. Wilkinson was accused of engaging in illicit contact with a relative while stationed at Fort Huachuca.
According to a news release, he was convicted in absentia, sentenced to three years in prison, and discharged from military service.
“The Marshal’s Office demonstrated excellent coordination with the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office during the initial investigation and subsequent actions apprehending this fugitive,” according to Cochise County Sheriff Mark J. Dannels.
Wilkinson’s vehicle was discovered abandoned immediately after his disappearance, but efforts to locate him were futile. However, in July 2025, investigators discovered leads indicating Wilkinson was in rural Illinois. Surveillance led to his arrest at his mother’s house in Bluffs, where he was discovered hiding.
Wilkinson is now being held at Morgan County Jail in Illinois, pending transfer to the United States Army.
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