A Canadian man wanted for more than three decades in connection with child sexual assault allegations has been arrested in California by US federal immigration authorities.
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Charles Peter Billone, 64, was taken into custody in Santa Cruz by officers from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) San Francisco Field Office, after being located in the area. Canadian authorities had been searching for him since 1991.
ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations office in San Francisco confirmed that agents carried out the arrest and that Billone is now in federal custody.
Wanted in Canada since 1991
Billone was first arrested in Canada in 1991 on charges including two counts of sexual assault and two counts of sexual interference, according to Canadian media reports.
He was released after agreeing to appear in court but allegedly failed to attend and later disappeared.
Located and arrested in California
ICE officers from the San Francisco Field Office eventually located Billone in Santa Cruz, California, decades after he went missing from Canadian authorities.
He is currently being held in ICE custody while US officials proceed with removal proceedings.
Authorities also said Billone has prior convictions involving stolen property, assault, and drug-related offences.
Officials have not released details on how he was tracked down.
