Man accused of rape, robbery and kidnapping in Spokane County arrested near U.S.-Mexico border

A 32-year-old man was arrested late last week near the Mexico border in Texas on suspicion of raping, kidnapping and robbing a woman last year in Spokane County.

Warren J. Pittman, who allegedly has been on the run since April, was charged with suspicion of first-degree rape, first-degree robbery, first-degree kidnapping, criminal impersonation, taking a motor vehicle without permission and malicious mischief, according to a Spokane County Sheriff’s Office news release.

Pittman is being extradited to Spokane County to face the charges, the release said.

Spokane Valley deputies responded to investigate the kidnapping last April, deputies said. Deputies learned the victim, a woman, met Pittman at a gas station in north Spokane and the incident allegedly escalated with Pittman revealing he had a pistol in his waistband and leading the victim to believe he was an undercover cop.

The woman told deputies in a follow-up interview that she quickly realized Pittman was not a cop and feared she could be killed.

Deputies found two stolen handguns in the bushes next to the Shangri-La Motel in Spokane, deputies said.

Pittman was initially booked into the Spokane County Jail for suspicion of second-degree kidnapping and two counts of possession of a stolen firearm. He posted bond and was released two days later, the release said.

The victim then told the Spokane Regional Safe Streets Task Force, which took over the investigation, that Pittman sexually assaulted her.

Later, task force investigators verified Pittman crossed the border into Mexico, the release said.

The task force is comprised of individuals from the FBI, Spokane Police Department, Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, Spokane Valley Police Department, U.S. Border Patrol and Washington State Department of Corrections.