Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele and FBI Philadelphia Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs announced today the extradition of convicted child rapist Gerard Zalewski.
Steele said his office has been seeking Zalewski since April 2006 when he skipped bail prior to his sentencing hearing on child rape charges. He resided for 10 years later in Lancashire, England until he was convicted and sentenced to prison on charges of penetrative sexual activity with a child (two counts), meeting a child following sexual grooming, making indecent photographs of a child, and false imprisonment.
Zalewski’s original charges in Montgomery County stem from an Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force investigation in July-August 2004. According to the District Attorney’s Office, he engaged in several sexually explicit online chats with a police officer who was posing as a 12-year-old girl.
Zalewski, who is now 41 years old, subsequently arranged to meet with the undercover detective and was arrested on August 15, 2004. An investigation found that he had previous sexual contact in June 2004 with a 13-year-old Bucks County girl he met online. Additional charges were filed.
On November 14, 2005, Zalewski pleaded guilty in the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas to Involuntary Deviate Sexual Intercourse and Criminal Attempt to Commit Involuntary Deviate Sexual Intercourse, both first-degree felonies. He was out on bail awaiting sentencing but failed to appear for the hearing on March 29, 2006, Steele said.
A Court of Common Pleas judge found Zalewski to be a sexually violent predator. He was sentenced in absentia to 5 to 20 years in state prison and a bench warrant was issued for his arrest.
Charges of Flight to Avoid Punishment and Default in Required Appearance were filed in 2006, which could add to his prison term, Steele said.
“We have been waiting to get justice for our victim, who was sexually assaulted by Zalewski,” Steele said. “Now that he is back on American soil, he will not only face 5 to 20 years in prison, but he also faces new charges due to fleeing and failing to appear. This defendant, found to be a sexually violent predator, will be off of the streets for a very long time.”
Zalewski was located in England through an extensive effort by U.S. law enforcement agencies and international cooperation. The Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office placed him on watch lists, including the FBI’s “America’s Most Wanted” list, and sent his information to Interpol.
“Partnerships are key to every investigation, but particularly so in this case,” said SAC Jacobs. “The return of Mr. Zalewski to the United States shows no matter how long it takes and no matter where the investigation takes us, the FBI and our partners will pursue justice in cases of violent crimes against children.”
Zalewski was found in Lancashire, England in 2016. According to information from the Lancashire Constabulary Police, Zalewski was arrested in Kent on June 21, 2016. He pled guilty in October 2016 to the charges listed above.
Police said Zalewski groomed a 13-year-old victim over the internet, manipulated the victim into sending him indecent images, then met her in a park where he subjected the victim to sexual abuse over several hours, including taping her mouth with masking tape, putting a dog collar around her neck and writing the words “rape me” on her leg. He then took pictures of her on his cellphone.
Zalewski was sentenced in December 2016 to 12 years in prison. He was in an English prison until his release to U.S. authorities on Friday, August 23.
Montgomery County Detectives picked up Zalewski at the Philadelphia International Airport and transported him to the Montgomery County Correctional Facility. He was arraigned on charges of Flight to Avoid Punishment and Default in Required Appearance on August 27.
Bail was set at $500,077, and he was remanded to the Montgomery County Correctional Facility. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 9:30am on September 4.
The case will be prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Samantha Cauffman, who originally prosecuted Zalewski in 2006.
Photo: Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office