A man with outstanding extradition warrants in Texas was arrested Friday morning in Florida after being sought for serious child sex crimes. The Christopher Lynn Bowles, age 42, was taken into custody at a residence on Coy Burgess Loop in DeFuniak Springs, Florida, by the Walton County Sheriff’s Office in cooperation with the U.S. Marshals Task Force.
According to investigators, Bowles faces nationwide extradition from the Smith County Sheriff’s Office in Texas on charges of sexual assault of a child and continuous sexual assault of a child under 14 years old.
Bowles was located after authorities traced him to a girlfriend’s home in Florida and executed the arrest without incident. He is expected to be extradited to Smith County to face formal charges and the pending warrant.
Law-enforcement officials emphasise that fugitives wanted for crimes against children often attempt to leave the state, highlighting the importance of inter-jurisdictional cooperation in apprehending them. The arrest underscores ongoing efforts by federal and local agencies to locate those accused of preying on minors.
Smith County authorities did not release further details of the alleged offenses, citing the sensitivity of the case given the age of the alleged victim(s). However, they urged anyone with information about similar suspects on the run to contact law-enforcement and stressed that cooperation across state lines remains critical.
Bowles remains in custody in Florida pending the extradition process, and court filings in Texas will determine the next steps in his legal proceedings.
