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Convicted child rapist Steven Morrow fled Texas in December while awaiting sentencing for sexually assaulting an 11-year-old boy and is now believed to be hiding out somewhere on the Olympic Peninsula.

"It's likely he's somewhere on the peninsula," said Colin Smith, chief ranger at Olympic National Park, which covers nearly 1 million acres.
Smith said his agency received a law-enforcement bulletin from Texas officials about Morrow, 37, in February.

"We've kept our eyes open since then but haven't seen anything unusual." But, Smith added, "there's a lot of ground between us, the [Olympic] National Forest and DNR [Department of Natural Resources] lands. He could also be living in one of the towns around here."

Morrow is originally from Elma, Grays Harbor County, and has received help from family members since fleeing Harker Heights, Texas, a town near Fort Hood, said Alton Stuart, a retired federal agent who came to Western Washington this week to hunt for Morrow.

Stuart declined to divulge information about his client, who is paying Stuart to find Morrow and return him to Bell County, where Morrow faces a prison sentence of 20 years to life.

In addition to the young boy Morrow was convicted of sexually assaulting, Stuart said there are five other potential victims, including a young teen who came forward after Morrow took off. An alleged victim from Washington also recently said he was sexually assaulted by Morrow during a family get-together in December 2005, Stuart said. Morrow was first convicted as a juvenile for sexually assaulting a neighbor boy while still living in Elma, he said.

Considered armed and a threat to police, Morrow is described as white, 5-foot-7 and 125 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes.
Friends of Morrow's told Stuart that before leaving Texas, Morrow was looking to buy a small recreational vehicle, Stuart said. Morrow is believed to have taken four dogs, a cache of weapons and clothing with him, he said.

A warrant has been issued for his arrest.
Anyone who spots Morrow is asked to immediately call 911