One of America's Most Wanted Child Sex Offenders Extradited from Poland

WASHINGTON – John Hamilton, one of the most wanted child sex offenders in the country and abroad, is back on U.S. soil to face the sentencing he fled the country to avoid in 2009.

Deputy U.S. Marshals and a representative from the Fairfax County (Va.) Police Department escorted Hamilton from Poland to the United States today. Upon arrival in Virginia, the U.S. Marshals handed Hamilton over to the Fairfax County Police Department.

The international manhunt for Hamilton ended in Poland with his capture in August 2010. Hamilton was on the G8 Wanted Child Sex Offender list, making him one of the most wanted child sex offenders in this country and internationally.

“I am appreciative of the cooperation of our domestic and international partners who assisted us in tracking down and apprehending Hamilton,” said Stacia A. Hylton, Director of the U.S. Marshals Service.  “As we continue to work together - across borders - it is becoming increasingly hard for criminals to flee our shores and find refuge overseas. I offer my sincere thanks to everyone who helped bring this fugitive to justice."

Before fleeing the country in 2009, Hamilton had pled guilty and was awaiting sentencing on two counts of aggravated sexual battery of a child, two counts of indecent liberties with a child and one count of crimes against nature with a minor.

The U.S. Marshals Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force and U.S. Marshals from the Eastern District of Virginia began working the case in September 2009. Detectives assigned to the Fairfax County Child Services Unit and the Fairfax County Police Department worked closely with the U.S. Marshals Service on this intricate and extensive investigation.

When the case was adopted as part of the International roundup INFRA-RED and the G8 Wanted Child Sex Offender initiatives, the U.S. Marshals International Investigations Branch picked up the case in July 2010. They developed information he was traveling between Denmark, Germany and the Czech Republic. With the assistance of their overseas counterparts in those countries and deploying investigative methods, the U.S. Marshals were able to track Hamilton’s movements between different countries in Europe.

INTERPOL issued a Red Notice on Hamilton and sent it to every country in Europe, ultimately resulting in the arrest of Hamilton.

Hamilton was located in August 2010 on a bus leaving the Czech Republic entering into Poland. The Polish Border authorities pulled him to the side and subsequently found his U.S. passport. INTERPOL Washington officials confirmed Hamilton’s identity and informed the Polish authorities the United States would seek his extradition.

“The return of John Hamilton to the U.S. from Poland is another fine example of what can be accomplished when law enforcement authorities work together in the U.S. and internationally,” said INTERPOL Washington Director Timothy A. Williams. “I would like to especially commend the U.S. Marshals Service, the Fairfax County Police, and the Office of International Affairs for their tireless efforts to pursue and bring Hamilton back to the U.S. in a timely manner so that he can stand trial.”

The Office of International Affairs in the Justice Department's Criminal Division, as well as the FBI's legal attaché in Warsaw and Office of the Prosecutor General in Poland provided assistance in this matter.

Additional information about the U.S. Marshals can be found at http://www.usmarshals.gov.

Additional media points of contact:

INTERPOL Washington, LaTonya Miller at 202-616-8006

Fairfax County Police Department, Don Gotthardt at 703-246-4267