Fugitive Charged with Rape of a Child Returned from Guatemala to Face Charges

NASHVILLE - Federal agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation working with federal prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Tennessee and in collaboration with the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (MNPD) recently returned Domingo Sunun to the United States to face state sexual assault charges including two counts of child rape and one count of aggravated rape, United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek announced today.

"Holding offenders accountable for offenses against children is among the highest priorities of this office and the Department of Justice," said United States Attorney Braden H. 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."

"Let this be a message to those who seek to victimize our youth: no matter where you run or where you hide, law enforcement will hunt you down and hold you accountable for your crimes," said Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the FBI Nashville Field Office. "There is no place in our community for those who prey on children, and we will do everything we can to not only seek justice for the victims, but to prevent additional child exploitation crimes. I commend FBI Nashville's Violent Crimes Squad and our partners for their steadfast commitment to protect the most vulnerable members of our community."

"Our Youth Services detectives are committed to seeking justice for innocent children against whom unthinkable acts have allegedly been committed," said Metro Police Chief John Drake. "That can happen now that Domingo Sunun has been returned to Nashville from Guatemala. This is not the first time our partners at the U.S. Attorney's Office and FBI have assisted in bringing a fugitive accused of serious crimes back to our city from another country. I am grateful to all for the years of work on this case."

According to court documents, MNPD officers went to a residence on Gwynnwood Drive in Nashville in September 2021 to investigate allegations that Sunun had sexually assaulted his three nieces who were eight, ten, and twelve years old at the time. According to the victim statements, the sexual assaults occurred over a period of nearly three-and-a-half years. According to court documents, Sunun's family members told investigators that Sunun abruptly packed all his belongings and left his Nashville residence after the initial police report was filed. State arrest warrants were obtained for Sunun charging him with aggravated rape and two counts of rape of a child. MNPD investigators then determined that Sunun had likely fled to Guatemala to avoid apprehension and prosecution.

In March 2022, agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation obtained an arrest warrant for the federal offense of Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution and began working with international law enforcement partners to apprehend Sunun and return him to the United States. In December 2025, Sunun was apprehended in Guatemala and in March 2026, his extradition to the United States was granted by the government of Guatemala.

Upon his return to the United States, Sunun was transferred to state custody to face the child sexual abuse charges lodged against him in Davidson County General Sessions Court.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in collaboration with the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. The Department of Justice's Office of International Affairs worked to obtain cooperation from the government of Guatemala to enable Sunun's return to the United States. The Davidson County District Attorney General's Office is prosecuting Sunun on the sexual abuse indictment. Assistant District Attorney Jeff George is the lead prosecutor on the sexual assault case and Administrative Assistant Ashley Mondelli assisted in the extradition of Sunun from Guatemala to the United States.

An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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