ATLANTA — After being on the run for more than a decade, a Paulding County man facing several child molestation charges was arrested in Jamaica, according to a release from the U.S. Marshals Service. Authorities said he was on their radar after overstaying his visa.
The 71-year-old was arrested on Nov. 15 by security and police forces in Jamaica. The man was taken into custody for overstaying his visa and that's how island authorities learned he was a fugitive, the release stated.
He had been on the run for about 11 years, since a warrant was issued for his arrest in December 2011. The Paulding County man is accused of aggravated child molestation, child molestation, and sexual battery.
Jamaican authorities notified the U.S. Marshals and they took the man into custody on Nov. 18. He was booked into the Paulding County jail.
"I am so proud of the teamwork that has been exhibited in this case," Paulding County Sheriff Gary Gulledge said in a news release. "It is only with state, local, federal, and foreign law enforcement officials working together that we were able to get him behind bars in Paulding County. I want our citizens and community to know that we will never give up on our victims, no matter how long it takes to get the suspect in custody.”
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