U.S. Marshals Service Apprehends Colorado Most Wanted Sex Offender in Wyoming

CHEYENNE, Wyo. - The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) District of Wyoming announced the arrest of Timothy Dan Thurston, a convicted sex offender wanted by Colorado authorities for failure to appear and failure to register as a sex offender. Thurston, listed as No. 21 on the Colorado Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) Most Wanted Sex Offenders list, was apprehended October 7, 2026, in Baggs, Wyoming, following a coordinated fugitive investigation.

Thurston, previously convicted of sexual assault on a child, had been wanted by Colorado authorities since 2024. His criminal history includes drug offenses, sexual offenses involving children, probation violations, and sex offender registration violations.

In October 2026, the USMS District of Colorado Violent Offender Fugitive Task Force requested assistance from the Wyoming Fugitive Task Force (WFTF) in locating Thurston. Wyoming investigators developed information indicating that Thurston was residing in the Baggs area of Carbon County.

On Wednesday, October 7, WFTF investigators, working alongside the Wyoming Highway Patrol and Carbon County Sheriff’s Office, located and apprehended Thurston without incident.

“Wyoming will not become a safe haven for fugitives seeking to escape accountability in other states,” said Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal Thomas of the District of Wyoming. “Whether in our largest communities or our most remote areas, the U.S. Marshals Service and our law enforcement partners remain committed to ensuring that those wanted for serious crimes are located and brought before the courts. This arrest sends a clear message: crossing state lines does not place anyone beyond the reach of justice.”

The Wyoming Fugitive Task Force is led by the USMS District of Wyoming and includes personnel from the Cheyenne Police Department, Laramie County Sheriff’s Office, Wyoming Highway Patrol, and Department of Homeland Security. The task force brings together federal, state, and local investigative resources to locate and apprehend fugitives wanted for serious criminal offenses.

The U.S. Marshals Service maintains a nationwide network of interagency and regional fugitive task forces dedicated to apprehending fugitives and reducing violent crime. These partnerships strengthen investigative coordination across jurisdictions and support the enforcement of sex offender registration requirements.

The District of Wyoming encourages law enforcement agencies throughout the state to request assistance with qualifying fugitive investigations, including cases involving violent offenses, crimes against children, firearms, narcotics, and sexual offenses.

Anyone with information regarding a wanted fugitive or an individual suspected of violating sex offender registration requirements is encouraged to submit a confidential tip through the U.S. Marshals Service at https://www.usmarshals.gov/tips.

All individuals are presumed innocent of pending criminal charges unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.