MARSHALL COUNTY – A 33-year-old Guntersville man has been arrested following an investigation into the disappearance of a 15-year-old juvenile, according to the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff Phil Sims said deputies initially responded during the late-night hours of April 11, 2026, after receiving a report that a 15-year-old female from Guntersville was missing from her home.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, the girl’s mother was able to use her daughter’s cellphone to track her location to the parking lot of a local restaurant in Guntersville. When the mother confronted the adult male who was with the juvenile, he reportedly left the area before deputies arrived.

The man was later identified as Ismael Aristhene, 33, of Guntersville.

Investigators determined that Aristhene had picked up the juvenile without permission and taken her from the residence. The Sheriff’s Office said the juvenile was not cooperative with deputies during the initial investigation.

As the investigation continued, detectives developed additional evidence that allegedly indicated Aristhene had been involved in a sexual relationship with the juvenile.

On June 24, investigators located and arrested Aristhene. He has been charged with Traveling to Meet a Child for an Unlawful Sex Act, Facilitating the Travel of a Child for an Unlawful Sex Act, and Statutory Rape, Second Degree.

Aristhene remains in the Marshall County Jail with bond set at $250,000.

The Marshall County Sheriff’s Office also stated that Aristhene is a Haitian national and that investigators are working with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to determine his legal status.

The investigation remains ongoing.