Kochise County, Arizona – After nearly five years of evading authorities, Wilkinson was apprehended on September 18 in Bluffs, Illinois.

He was being sought due to failing to attend a court martial hearing related to the aforementioned charges, as detailed in a news release.

“This is a serious crime, and children should never have to suffer from abuse,” remarked former Arizona area official Van Bayless.

Wilkinson first came under investigation in February 2021, following reports from soldiers at Fort Huachuca, where he was stationed. Accusations of inappropriate contact with relatives surfaced during that time.

Convicted in absentia, he received a sentence of three years confinement and was dismissed from military service, according to officials.

Kochise County Sheriff Mark J. Dannel praised the collaboration between the Marshall’s office and his department during the investigation and arrest.

After his disappearance, his vehicle was found abandoned, and efforts to locate him were initially unsuccessful. However, in July 2025, investigators tracked down a lead suggesting he was in rural Illinois. Surveillance led them to an arrest at his mother’s residence, where he was found in hiding.

Currently, Wilkinson is being held at the Morgan County Jail in Illinois, while arrangements are made for his transfer to military authorities.