By Jun Ramirez
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) agents have arrested an American wanted by federal authorities in Texas for being a sex offender.
Bureau of Immigration (Manila Bulletin File Photo)
BI Commissioner Jaime Morente identified the fugitive as 49-year-old Stacey Thomas, who was nabbed last Friday at his residence in Teresa Heights, Fairview, Quezon City.
Morente said he issued the mission order for Thomas’ arrest at the request of the US embassy in Manila which sought his deportation to the US so he could stand trial for his crime.
He disclosed that Thomas is the subject of an arrest warrant issued by a US District Court in Western Texas where he was charged with the crime of abusive sexual contact, an offense akin to sexual assault.
It was learned that Thomas has been on the FBI’s wanted list since July 2010 when the court warrant was issued.
BI intelligence officer Bobby Raquepo, who heads the bureau’s fugitive search unit (FSU), said Thomas is already an undocumented alien due to the cancellation of his passport by the US government.
He added that the American had fled to the Philippines on August 2010, barely a month after the arrest warrant against him was issued.
Thomas is presently detained at the BI detention facility in Taguig City pending issuance of the order for his deportation by the bureau’s board of commissioners.