Georgian police arrest US citizen wanted by Interpol for harassment, assault

Police officers of the Main Division for Combating Organised Crime of the Georgian Interior Ministry have arrested a United States citizen wanted for harassment and assault and sought through an Interpol Red Notice, the Georgian Interior Ministry said on Friday, Azernews reports, citing Agenda.

The Ministry said it had cooperated with the US Diplomatic Security Service for the arrest, and added the warrant included charges from the State of Texas on “continuous sexual harassment of a minor”, “aggravated sexual assault of a minor”, “assault on a family member by suffocation” and “aggravated assault with a deadly weapon”.

The MIA said the warrant also included seven Louisiana state charges of filing false public records, forging documents by fraud and theft of between $5,000-$25,000.

The body added its investigation had found the alleged offender had crossed the Georgian state border in April, before the international search for him was announced.

“Georgia, as a member of Interpol, actively participated in the search operation” following the announcement of the search, it added, noting the individual had been transferred to a penitentiary institution and extradition procedures were underway.

Responding to the arrest, James Ulin, the Security Advisory Council Head at the US Embassy in Georgia, highlighted the involvement of the Georgian law enforcement institutions in the arrest.

Ulin said the office was “happy to cooperate with the Central Criminal Police Department, its Head Teimuraz Kupatadze and his colleagues”, and added the Georgian professionals had been “actively involved” in the efforts.