Lynch positively identified, extradited to Tennessee

BROWNSVILLE — The man federal agents arrested in Mexico last week is in fact Donald Edward Lynch, charged with multiple counts of child rape and molestation, a judge ruled in federal court Monday.

Lynch, captured Oct. 13 near Matamoros, denied his identity to FBI and Mexican police. Court testimony positively identified the 66-year-old as the person wanted by Tennessee authorities.

“Marshals, transport him to Tennessee,” U.S. Magistrate Felix Recio said, ordering Lynch’s extradition after Monday’s identity hearing in federal court.

Lynch is wanted in his home state on 11 counts of rape of a child, 38 counts of aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor and five counts of aggravated sexual battery. Officials said that he had been hiding in Matamoros for four years.

Cameron County sheriff’s investigator Alvaro Guerra said Mexican State Police called him last week about a person in their custody who was wanted by U.S. authorities.

Lynch initially gave a false name but later admitted his identity, explaining that he lied because he was “scared” of returning to Tennessee, Guerra said.

At the time of his arrest, Lynch called himself Reynaldo Price, Guerra said, and had a counterfeit identification listing him as a Mexican construction worker.

Guerra testified Monday that authorities matched Lynch’s fingerprints to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection database. They also identified him by a scar on his right ear.