Southern California

Accused Fugitive Predator Captured After Nearly 2 Decades on the Run

An accused child predator on the lam for years after escaping the country while on bail was captured in Maryland and extradited back to Southern California, authorities said Tuesday.

Julio Alberto Anaya, 47, who was arrested back in 1999, was discovered to be living in Maryland in May, 18 years after he posted bail and fled the country, according to the Thousand Oaks Police Department.

Anaya was discovered to be living as a fugitive in Maryland under a different name and using a different birth date, police said.

In June, Thousand Oaks police contacted Anne Arundel County Police Department and officers surveyed Anaya before identifying him and arresting him in Severn, Maryland.

He was accused of preying on five girls, ranging from 6 to 11 years old, police said. He was originally arrested on suspicion of committing lewd acts on a child under 14 in December of 1999 after months of investigation.

After he was charged with 15 felony counts of lewd acts on a child, he was held on $250,000 bail, police said. In April of 2000, he posted bail and was released, before he failed to show up in court. Police said he had fled back to his home country of El Salvador. 

On Tuesday he was extradited back to Ventura County where he is being held without bail. He is due in court July 3.

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