After nearly a decade, a 46-year-old man described by the U.S. Marshals Service as an "international sex offender" was arrested in Maryland Thursday after allegedly failing to register as a sex offender in Cuyahoga County.
In 2009, the man was convicted of sexual assault in Texas and was required to register as a sex offender. After his sentence, he relocated to Cleveland in 2014, the U.S. Marshals Service said.
According to the U.S. Marshals Service, he violated his registration requirements after relocating to Cleveland, resulting in a warrant for his arrest.
He then fled to Germany and became a fugitive, the U.S. Marshals Service said. While in Germany, he allegedly forcibly raped a 15-year-old girl and was convicted once again.
Last year, he returned to the U.S. and was arrested on his outstanding warrant but was then released on bond, the U.S. Marshals Service said.
After being released, he failed to appear for a hearing and a new warrant was issued for his arrest, the U.S. Marshals Service said.
During this time, the U.S. Marshals investigated the man for his alleged violation of sex offender registration laws, and a federal arrest warrant was issued in March, the U.S. Marshals Service said.
He is currently in custody in Maryland and is awaiting hearings in both Cleveland and Maryland, the U.S. Marshals Service said.
“This investigation spanned nearly a decade and involved law enforcement agencies at the federal, state, and local levels," U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott said in a release. "Even some abroad. This type of cooperation is paramount to protect our communities and takes a habitual predator off the streets.”
