By james art GILBERT, Arizona (AZ Family) — Authorities are searching for a fugitive child abuse suspect who failed to appear at a court hearing Monday.
Randall Arrington is facing multiple charges of sexual conduct and abuse of a minor, and his family now fears for his safety.
We now know that both the US Marshal’s Office and the Gilbert Police Department are actively searching for Randy Arrington.
He was free pending trial for child sexual abuse to begin early next year.
Now a close family friend says the fugitive could be anywhere.
September 2023 – Arrington is arrested and charged with more than a dozen counts of sexual assault and child abuse. It was a shock to everyone who knew him – including his wife at the time.
“I don’t think anyone could really believe it,” the family friend said. “She said to him, ‘Get out of this house.’ You will never come back.
That close family friend, who asked to remain anonymous, said that when those allegations were brought up by the victim years later, Arrington admitted to the years of abuse. Court documents show he confessed and said “something came over me that did this.”
“He was just the perfect husband, the perfect family man. He was, you know, he went to church, he was an executive at Empire, he just really seemed like the perfect father, the perfect family,” the friend recalled of the man everyone thought they knew.
Arrington was scheduled to be in court Monday for a pretrial hearing, but the Maricopa County District Attorney’s Office confirmed that he was a no-show.
Then the victim’s family said they received an alarming notification. “His ankle bracelet was cut and he was running,” the friend said.
Gilbert police confirmed that both their agency and the U.S. Marshals are actively looking for Arrington and have a warrant out for his arrest, but the family friend believes that with Arrington’s financial capabilities and intelligence, he could be anywhere.
“He’s a very avid outdoorsman, you know, he’s always been a gun fanatic, you know, he’s a world traveler,” the friend said.
That close friend said that after Arrington was free, he asked a judge to move to Show Low instead of staying in Maricopa County. This request was denied. The friend said they thought it was on purpose to go somewhere remote.
“We always thought it was to make this escape plan,” the friend said. “His family is concerned for their safety.”
The Maricopa County District Attorney’s Office said a judge will now have to decide whether or not the case will proceed.
Randy Arrington is described as tall and thin with a tattooed sleeve. If you see him, please call Gilbert Police or the US Marshal’s Office.
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