# U.S. Fugitive Apprehended in Eastern Cape Following INTERPOL Request for Alleged Child Sexual Crimes
**GQEBERHA, South Africa** — South African authorities, in coordination with INTERPOL, have taken a 56-year-old American national into custody on Wednesday, 27 May 2026, at a residential property in Kabega Park, Gqeberha. The arrest relates to outstanding charges of rape and sexual assault involving a minor.
The suspect, a citizen of the United States, was subject to an INTERPOL Red Notice following a 2017 complaint lodged by the victim’s mother with the San Antonio Police Department in Texas. According to investigative records, the alleged offenses occurred when the victim was 12 years old. Authorities state the suspect is accused of sexually assaulting his daughter and maintaining explicit text message communications with her over a sustained period.
After the initial U.S. investigation concluded, the suspect departed the United States. INTERPOL’s National Central Bureau (NCB) in Pretoria later identified his location in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province. Upon receiving a formal extradition request from U.S. authorities, INTERPOL NCB Pretoria executed a Section 5(1)(b) warrant. The arrest operation was supported by the Nelson Mandela Bay District Intervention Task Team, the Crime Combating Unit, and Mount Road Crime Intelligence.
The individual remains detained and is set to appear before the Gqeberha Magistrates’ Court on Friday, 29 May 2026. The hearing will address an extradition application submitted by the government of the United States of America to the Republic of South Africa. If granted, the suspect would be returned to U.S. custody to face prosecution on charges of rape and sexual assault of a minor.
Law enforcement officials from both nations highlighted the effectiveness of international judicial cooperation in apprehending individuals accused of serious cross-border crimes. The case reaffirms the commitment of South African and U.S. authorities to prioritize the protection of children and pursue accountability regardless of geographic boundaries.