Norfolk CBP officers arrest Virginia Beach man on felony forcible rape and sexual battery charges

NORFOLK, Virginia – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers arrested Fard Shaheed Matthews, wanted by the Norfolk, Va., Police Department on felony forcible rape and sexual battery charges, before Matthews embarked on a cruise ship in Norfolk on Saturday.

While conducting passenger vetting of embarking cruise ship passengers, CBP officers identified Matthews, 49, of Virginia Beach, Va., as a possible match to an outstanding arrest warrant issued by the Norfolk Police Department.

Officers identified Matthews, verified his identity, and confirmed with Norfolk PD that the warrant remained active and that Matthews was the subject of that arrest warrant.

CBP officers turned Matthews over to Norfolk Police Department officers.

Criminal charges are merely allegations. Defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

“These allegations, if proven true, are serious and reprehensible, and Customs and Border Protection officers are pleased to assist our local law enforcement partners in returning a fugitive to justice,” said Keri Brady, CBP’s Acting Area Port Director for the Area Port of Norfolk-Newport News. “CBP’s unique border security mission of knowing who is entering or departing the United States allows us to ensure that victims’ voices are heard, and helps our law enforcement partners make our streets a little safer.”

Every day, CBP officers compare international passenger and cargo manifests to numerous law enforcement databases, including the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) to identify passengers and cargo that may require additional inspectional scrutiny, such as those with outstanding arrest warrants.

On a typical day last year, CBP processed an average of more than one million arriving travelers every day at our nation’s airports, seaports, and land border crossings, and on average arrested 44 wanted persons every day. See what else CBP accomplished during "A Typical Day" in 2024.

CBP's border security mission is led at our nation’s Ports of Entry by CBP officers and agriculture specialists from the Office of Field Operations. CBP screens international travelers and cargo and searches for illicit narcotics, unreported currency, weapons, counterfeit consumer goods, prohibited agriculture, invasive weeds and pests, and other illicit products that could potentially harm the American public, U.S. businesses, and our nation’s safety and economic vitality.

Learn more at www.CBP.gov.

Follow the Director of CBP’s Baltimore Field Office on X at @DFOBaltimore for breaking news, current events, human interest stories and photos, and CBP’s Office of Field Operations on Instagram at @cbpfieldops.