A man who had been evading child molesting charges out of St. Joseph County for the last 7 years was arrested early this morning in a Steuben County motel room by the Indiana State Police and the United States Marshall Service.

According to Trooper Matt Lazoff, sometime just after midnight, the U.S. Marshall Service contacted the Indiana State Police post in Fort Wayne seeking assistance in the apprehension of 30-year old Terry Wayne Waugh, Jr. They indicated that Waugh has been wanted for the last 7 years out of St. Joseph County on numerous counts of child molesting and was recently located staying in a motel in the 3800 block of north SR 127, near Pokagon State Park in Steuben County.

Lazoff organized assistance from the Steuben County Sheriff and Angola Police Departments and at approximately 2 a.m., they all descended upon the motel where Waugh was found by Lazoff and U.S. Marshall William Boothe hiding in the bathroom of one of the motel rooms. Waugh eventually gave himself up without incident and was taken into custody. He was incarcerated in the Steuben County Jail awaiting transportation back to St. Joseph County. Assisting Lazoff and Boothe were Deputies Brad Kline and Eric Patterson from the Steuben County Sheriff Department and Brandon Booth and Mike Wood from the Angola Police Department.

St. Joseph County Charges included Class A, B and C felonies of child molesting. Questions concerning these charges should be directed to the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office.