Convicted sex offender arrested in Atlanta after 17 years on the run

A convicted sex offender who has been on the run for 17 years after attempting to rape a woman in Virginia was arrested Friday by U.S. Marshals in Atlanta.

Gustav Schilling had been convicted of dragging a woman into the woods and attempting to rape her. He disappeared in 2006 while on probation after he faced new allegations.

Schilling went to a concert in Henrico County, Virginia, in 1995, according to officials, who said he was wearing a mask when he grabbed a woman, dragged her into the woods and attempted to rape her. The woman managed to escape and told the police. Later that year, Schilling was convicted of abduction and attempted rape.

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In 2000, he was released from prison and placed on probation. Residents of one neighborhood accused him of “voyeuristic behavior.” Officials said he disappeared after work in August 2006. A warrant was issued for his failure to register as a sex offender in September 2006.

Investigators discovered in 2022 that Schilling was using an alias, David Layton, and that he may have been in the metro Atlanta area.

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Deputy Marshals witnessed Schilling leaving a construction site near Lindbergh Drive and Armand Road on Jan. 27, the U.S. Marshals Service said, according to FOX 5 Atlanta. He was arrested by Marshals and taken to the Fulton County Detention Center.

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“The United States Marshals Service will never stop our pursuit of violent fugitives,” Chief Deputy United States Marshal J.B. Stevens said. “The mission of enhancing public safety, keeping our local communities safer, and ensuring sex offenders are properly monitored is critical. We are honored that it is our responsibility. No matter how long a fugitive runs, we will find them.”