The accused filed a bond with the police department in 2004, but never turned up for trial. In fact he fled the country. He could not be found for nearly 20 years.
Texas: A Texas man accused of sexually abusing a child has been arrested after 20 years on the run. The man identified as Anthony Rae was first arrested in 2003, on charges of multiple sexual assault on a child, said Grayson County District Attorney’s Office.
Rae filed a bond with the police department in 2004, but never turned up for trial. In fact he fled the country. He could not be found for nearly 20 years.
Fox News quoted the Grayson County District Attorney Brett Smith as saying, “I’m standing here with the US Marshals from the Eastern District of Texas and the Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security, there is no length we will not go to to make sure that people are returned to face justice if you commit an act of violence against a child in Grayson County.”
In 2018 the investigators on the case renewed efforts to trace Rae using new technology.
The man was found living in Britain under the name of Tony Campbell. An international task force had been constituted with an investigator from Grayson County District as its member. The team managed to arrest Rae in 2020 in Scotland, but his extradition was delayed as he argued in court that the prison system in Texas is inhumane.
The lawyers for Rae pointed out that the prison in Texas failed to meet international standards and said that it was dangerous for their client.
District Attorney Smith said that they had to face many hurdles like Covid pandemic and defend the prison system in Texas, before they managed to get an extradition order passed to get the man back to the US to face charges.
After nearly three years Rae was finally brought back to Texas and jailed at the Grayson County Jail.
The victim was informed about her abuser finally being behind bars and she could not control her emotions. Attorney Smith said that she told him that all these years she thought that everyone must have forgotten about her case.
The accused plea for clemency to the British Supreme Court and the European Commission on Human Rights were denied.
Smith said that he hoped that the trial in the case starts soon and the victim gets justice.
