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An American fugitive, wanted in connection with the sexual assaults of two minors in Texas, has been arrested in Gqeberha.
The Nelson Mandela Bay detective task team, in collaboration with Interpol, successfully apprehended Robert Lee Redd junior in River Dale, Westbrook, on Wednesday afternoon.
The victims were 12 years old at the time. The first assault allegedly occurred in 2017 and the second in 2019.
After a two-year search, the 56-year-old American citizen was arrested at about 3pm.
The US embassy in Cape Town had first reached out to the Nelson Mandela Bay detective task team for assistance in 2024.
According to officials, the first complainant only came forward after it emerged that Redd was being investigated for a second suspected assault in 2019.
Police spokesperson Brig Nobuntu Gantana confirmed the arrest.
She said the man would now be extradited to the US to face the charges of sexual assault and rape against him.
“This follows a two-year-long search for him by the Nelson Mandela Bay detective task team and Crime Intelligence. Interpol members joined in the arrest and the team was assisted by the Nelson Mandela Bay crime combating unit.”
Capt Lesley Killian and Serg Ridwaan Baatjies led the task team, which had been monitoring Redd since 2024.
An immediate arrest could not be issued until US police had built a strong enough case to issue an extradition.
Once received, a warrant of arrest was issued in SA, and Redd was promptly arrested.
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