A man from Hamilton who had been evading authorities since 1991 was apprehended by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in California earlier this month. Charles Peter Billone, aged 64, failed to show up in court after being let out on bail 35 years ago. He had initially been arrested in 1991 on charges related to sexual assault and interference. ICE reported in a statement on Aug. 4 that Billone was wanted in Canada for sexual assault on a child and had previous convictions for theft, assault, and drug offenses.
Hamilton police disclosed in 2014 that Billone had managed to escape capture by assuming a new identity, making it challenging for law enforcement to track him down by conventional methods. ICE mentioned in their communication that Billone was currently under custody awaiting deportation proceedings.
Jackie Penman, a spokesperson for Hamilton police, informed CBC Hamilton on Thursday that they have been collaborating closely with the Crown’s office on this matter. Penman stated that there were currently no plans for extradition proceedings in place.