A Guatemalan man who allegedly fled the United States while being investigated for child rape in Tennessee has been returned to the Volunteer State, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Tuesday.
The DOJ press release confirmed Domingo Sunun is now in state custody to answer for charges alleging he sexually assaulted four minors, including three of his nieces, over a period that lasted longer than three years before the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) was notified.
Though his arrest in Guatemala was not announced until last year, the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) first named Sunun (pictured above) in 2021, when Youth Services Detectives were seeking the public’s help in locating him for crimes he allegedly committed against victims under the age of 12 as early as 2017.
According to the DOJ press release, Sunun’s family told investigators he “abruptly packed all his belongings and left his Nashville residence” after the first police report was filed.
“Holding offenders accountable for offenses against children is among the highest priorities of this office and the Department of Justice,” stated U.S. Attorney Braden Boucek. “When federal law enforcement and local partners work together with one goal, there is nowhere a fugitive can run that will be beyond the reach of the law.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Terence Reilly similarly said the arrest would send a message to child predators.
“Let this be a message to those who seek to victimize our youth,” said Reilly. “No matter where you run or where you hide, law enforcement will hunt you down and hold you accountable for your crimes.”
The DOJ reported the case against Sunun was investigated by the FBI and the MNPD, and the DOJ’s Office of Internal Affairs successfully obtained Guatemala’s consent to extradite him in March. He will face charges filed in Davidson County General Sessions Court.
When Sunun was arrested last December, the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala said the fugitive was located as the result of collaboration between Guatemalan authorities, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the FBI.
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Tom Pappert is a 2025 recipient of the Dao Prize and the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star. He also reports for the Star News Network. Follow Tom on X. Email tips to [email protected].
