Cleveland sex offender who fled to Germany nearly a decade ago arrested: Marshals

Justin Dennis
·2 min read
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(WJW) — U.S. Marshals on Thursday arrested a convicted sex offender who they said failed to register after moving to Cleveland, then fled to Germany for several years to avoid prosecution.

In 2009, a Texas court convicted Stephan A. Pittman of sexual assault, according to a Thursday news release from U.S. Marshals. He was then required to register as a Tier III sex offender under the Adam Walsh Act.

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The assault involved 23-year-old woman who was his acquaintance, according to Ohio Attorney General records.

Pittman got out of prison in 2014 then moved to Cleveland, according to Marshals. He allegedly violated his registration requirement and the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office obtained a warrant for his arrest.

Marshals searching for Pittman in 2016 said he was known to hang around bars in Lakewood, impersonating former Tennessee Titans quarterback Vince Young, FOX 8 News reported.

“Pittman fled, becoming a fugitive,” reads the release. “He was tracked by [Marshals] to Germany, however he was not subject to extradition under German law and the case went cold.

“While residing in Germany, Pittman was again convicted of a sex offense, this time the forcible rape of a 15-year-old girl.”

Pittman, now 46, returned to the U.S. in 2023 and was arrested on his outstanding warrant from Cuyahoga County, according to the release. He was released on a $10,000 personal bond in the Cuyahoga County court, then failed to appear for a March hearing, leading to a new arrest warrant, records show.

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Marshals in Maryland arrested him again on Thursday morning, according to the release. He remains in federal custody awaiting hearings in Cleveland and Maryland.

“This investigation spanned nearly a decade and involved law enforcement agencies at the federal, state and local levels. Even some abroad,” U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott is quoted in the release. “This type of cooperation is paramount to protect our communities and takes a habitual predator off the streets.”

Records show Pittman is due for trial in Cuyahoga County on May 13.

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